Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review [Archive] - Page 20

Citizen Rules

09-09-17, 08:09 PM

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Kismet (Minnelli, 1955)

Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Howard Keel, Ann Blyth, Dolores Gray,
Genre: Adventure, Musical, Fantasy
Studio: MGM

In 1955 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released the fourth and finally version of Kismet based on the successful stage play of 1911. However this time around MGM broke with tradition and made a musical with their version. Filming was done in the new wide screen Cinemascope process and using the newly available Eastman Color Film. Kismet stars one of movie musical greats, Howard Keel.

Set in ancient Arabia, a poor but charming street beggar, who fancies himself a poet is caught stealing. But his sharp wit and charm helps him talk his way out of punishment and into the good graces of a rich man and powerful man, the Wazir. His trick is he pretends to be a great a magician. The beggar also has a beautiful daughter who meets and falls in love with a mysterious man, who might be a prince.

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As a secondary story line, we're introduced to the poet's daughter Marsinah played by the lovely Ann Blyth as she is wooed by the young handsome prince, the young Caliph (Vic Damone). The Caliph has snuck into the garden and their love is a secret one. They share a duet on the ballad Stranger in Paradise.

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One look at that above photo and you can tell the art direction is under the supervision of one the greats, Vincente Minnelli. Kismet is not a widely known musical probably because the story is more of a fable than modern audiences are use to. It does have some great songs with lavish productions as one would expect from a MGM musical.

Best of all it has Howard Keel and Dolores Gray both who can belt out a tune! and so can Ann Blyth. The colors of the film with their rich pastels are amazing, and it's a fun & lively movie thanks to Howard Keel.

rating_3_5

Joel

09-09-17, 08:14 PM

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13 Ghosts ( 1960)
Director: William Castle
Writer: Robb White
Cast: Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Martin Milner, Rosemary DeCamp, Margaret Hamilton
Genre: B Horror

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rating_3

Always beautiful layout work, Citizen! And though I may not agree or have seen every movie you inspect and present, I really dig your style and appreciate your thoughts and intelligence on these. Thanks!

Citizen Rules

09-09-17, 08:22 PM

Thanks, I made that top 3 panel photo too. I spend way too much time on photos!

Citizen Rules

09-09-17, 08:57 PM

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They Were Expendable (John Ford, 1945)

Director: John Ford
Writers: William White (book), Frank Wead (screenplay)
Cast: Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Hold, Ward Bond
Genre: Drama War

They Were Expendable is based on a novel written by William L. White. White's novel while fictional, was based on his own war time experience with 'Torpedo Boat Squadron Three'....The PT boats were used in the South Pacific during WWII to guard against Japanese invasion during the Battle of the Philippines.

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The movie follows the novel and offers up a dramatized and exciting account of the role of the American PT Boats in the defense of the Philippines in World War II

If your not a war buff, then this film might not have much to offer you. There's little in the way of character development and little characterization, it's more like a documentary, which I thought was cool. But after watching the film, I asked myself what was John Wayne and Robert Montgomery characters all about?

On the other hand this is a 'technical' film...most all of the outside shots are done on location in the Florida Keys which to me looked like the infamous shores of Bataan and Karigador in the Philippines, much better than on being shot on a back of a studio lot.

Real Navy PT boats were used which really added to the reality of the film. It's a good film for learning a part of WWII U.S. history in the Pacific Theater. Not surprising then, the movie was Oscar nominated for Best Special Effects.

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A nod to Donna Reed who aptly plays a field nurse stationed in Bataan. I shudder to think what would have happened to her character in real life.

rating_3_5

Citizen Rules

09-09-17, 11:37 PM

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Uncle Buck (John Hughes, 1989)

Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly
Genre: Comedy

Uncle Buck, confirmed bachelor and all round slob, is asked to babysit his brother's unruly teenage daughter and the two younger kids. A task that he takes very seriously, but in his own Uncle Buck way.

In the 1980's director/writer/producer/ John Hughes was on a role, giving us some of the best loved comedies of the 1980s: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles are among his greats.

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Uncle Buck stars the ever likable goof, John Candy. Hughes who's famous for discovering his muse Molly Ringwald, gave another teen age actresses her first big staring role here, Jean Louisa Kelly...She's good but doesn't have the comedy ability of Molly Ringwald, which is OK because John Candy has more than enough laughs for the entire movie.

The film is full of funny bits. Everyone knows the drill scene. One of my favorites was the 'how many questions', funny! So was the bit with John Candy talking to the school assistant principal about her mole.

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Maybe this isn't my favorite Hughes film and it's not my favorite John Candy film, but it's a fun watch that made me smile and even laugh at times.

rating_3_5+

edarsenal

09-10-17, 12:40 AM

Uncle Buck IS good fun. Been some time since I see it though

seanc

09-10-17, 08:17 AM

Uncle Buck was on pretty regular rotation at my house when I was young. My dad loved John Candy. Buck and Suimmer Rental were the go to movies for him. I have fond memories of both but no real desire to revisit them.

Citizen Rules

09-10-17, 12:39 PM

Uncle Buck IS good fun. Been some time since I see it though

Uncle Buck was on pretty regular rotation at my house when I was young. My dad loved John Candy. Buck and Suimmer Rental were the go to movies for him. I have fond memories of both but no real desire to revisit them.I've been working on watching all of John Candy's movies. I've only got a few more to go and if I would stop joining those pesky Hofs;) (differently joking)! I'd be finished by now:p If there's ever another comedy Hof, a Candy movie might be in order...but not Uncle Buck it's not a fav. More like Summer Rental or Only the Lonely would be my top Candy movies.

Joel

09-10-17, 12:46 PM

Citizen Rules

09-10-17, 01:04 PM

My favorite Candy role was Del Griffith from Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I thought the movie was Hughes's best, too. Very funny and moving (if not a bit of overkill on the manipulation with Ira Newborn's overdone music score).

Yup good one, I gave that a 4/5 here's my review of it:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1425455#post1425455)

Citizen Rules

09-10-17, 02:26 PM

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Homicidal (1961)
Director/Producer: William Castle
Writer: Robb White
Cast: Joan Marshall, Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Fast on the heels of 1960's huge horror hit, Psycho, came the king of B horror William Castle's ode to Hitch....Homicidal. Castle borrowed the ambiance of Psycho and ramped up the insane violence even beyond what Hitch had done with his horror classic.

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Homicidal opens with a mysteriously beautiful woman, propositioning a handsome bellboy to marry her for one night only. For that he'd be paid handsomely. One catch, no questions are to be asked and the marriage will be annulled the very next morning.

This is were the showmanship of William Castle takes off, as we're shocked to see a surprising & brutal knife murder in the very next scene, when we lest expect it. For 1961 this was as good as it got!

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I love that look of horror on the murder's face. She's more frightened of what she's doing than the old lady who's about to be sliced and diced!

The beautiful but deadly platinum blonde with a very odd secret, is played to delightful bizarreness by Joan Marshall. Credited as Jean Arless in the movie, reportedly as the young and upcoming actress was worried about being type cast as a psycho killer, like Anthony Perkins experience with Psycho.

For fans of 1950s-190s horror, Homicidal has a more twisting plot than even Psycho had. So much so that director/producer William Castle filmed a message for the audience:

A WORD OF WARNING! Please don't reveal the ending of this picture or your friends will kill you - IF THEY DON'T, I WILL! - William Castle

Ha! so you'll have to watch this to see if you're smart enough to figure out the ending. I wasn't!...But I was surprised at just how good this movie is.

rating_4

Citizen Rules

09-10-17, 10:44 PM

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The Great Outdoors (1988)
Director: Howard Deutch
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening
Genre: Comedy

John Candy is a hard working family man from Chicago. Who heads to the great outdoors for an old fashion family vacation. But wouldn't you know it, his rich loudmouth in-law Dan Aykroyd drops in with his family and the two mismatched families then have to get along and share the vacation.

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OK so it's not an original movie idea...and sure it sounds a lot like Christmas Vacation (1989)...but it's got a comedy powerhouse duo in John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Written and produced by John Hughes, The Great Outdoors shares a lot in common with his other films...This one can be more over the top and slap stick...and yet it still works if you don't look for logic...and why would you in this type of film?

Both the wives are as funny as their more famous husbands. I liked Stephanie Farcy as John Candy's sweet and done to earth wife. She has real charm on the screen and helps to balance the mad cap comedy. Annette Bening in her first movie role plays Dan Aykroyd's wife and they're both well to do snobs, very funny too. The kids however were through away characters but ah they made good bear bait!

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Some great scenes in this one! From the bat in the face, to the bald giant bear, to the water skiing and lets not forget the 96 ounce steak that John Candy has to eat if he wants his dinner free.

rating_3+

Joel

09-10-17, 10:49 PM

gbgoodies

09-11-17, 12:32 AM

Yup good one, I gave that a 4/5 here's my review of it:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1425455#post1425455)

I still have Planes, Trains and Automobiles on my watchlist from when you and Capt. Steel recommended it. Hopefully I'll get to it soon, now that I finished watching movies for the 1940s countdown.

Captain Steel

09-11-17, 12:45 AM

Captain Steel

09-11-17, 12:47 AM

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The Great Outdoors (1988)

rating_3+

Rules, I don't remember what you rated Summer Rental, but which was better in your opinion? (I still have never watched The Great Outdoors.)

gbgoodies

09-11-17, 12:56 AM

It's a good movie to watch shortly before Thanksgiving (since that's when the movie takes place).

Thanks for the info. I'll try to watch it around then if possible. :)

Gideon58

09-11-17, 05:56 PM

Rules, I don't remember what you rated Summer Rental, but which was better in your opinion? (I still have never watched The Great Outdoors.)

I have to confess that The Great Outdoors is a guilty pleasure of mine.

Citizen Rules

09-11-17, 11:58 PM

I still have Planes, Trains and Automobiles on my watchlist from when you and Capt. Steel recommended it. Hopefully I'll get to it soon, now that I finished watching movies for the 1940s countdown.When you watch it, pop in here and let me know what you think?

Rules, I don't remember what you rated Summer Rental, but which was better in your opinion? (I still have never watched The Great Outdoors.) Easy Peasy, just click on the Movies link on top of any MoFo page and then type in the name of the movie you want to find. A number of title matches will pop up, then click on the one that matches and then click Find Movies...

I reviewed Summer Rental see if you can find my review:p

Gideon58

09-12-17, 12:15 PM

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[LEFT][FONT=Georgia]Homicidal (1961)
Director/Producer: William Castle
Writer: Robb White
Cast: Joan Marshall, Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Never heard of this movie and, as you know, not my favorite genre, but this one looks kind of fun I might check it out.

Citizen Rules

09-13-17, 11:25 PM

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Strategic Air Command (1955)
Director: Anthony Mann
Writers: Valentine Davies(screenplay), Beirne Lay Jr(screenplay)
Cast: James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Lovejoy
Genre: Action, Drama, War

A ex WWII bomber pilot who's currently playing baseball in the big leagues is recalled to active duty by the U.S. Air Force.

Lt. Col Robert 'Dutch' Holland (James Stewart) is assigned to America's Cold War defense program S.A.C. Otherwise known as Strategic Air Command which is responsible for reconnaissances of hostile forces, and if need be the deployment of nuclear weapons.

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Mostly forgotten today, Strategic Air Command was a big glossy Paramount film back in 1955, being released in wide screen VistaVision and shot in Technicolor. The film is a rarity in featuring actual military aircraft as 'one of the stars' of the film.

Much footage is dedicated to the nuclear bombers the B-36, nicknamed the 'flying cigar' which was a long range bomber and the new B-47 which was a mid range jet bomber. We see both planes on the ground, and on an actual airbase...as well as in the air. We even see the big KC-90 refueling plane gassing up a B-36 while flying non stop from Florida to Japan.

If that ain't enough aviation goodies we spend a lot of time behind actual cockpits of the planes and interiors of the B-36. The vintage planes are half the appeal.

The other half of the films appeal is the low key story of two people played by James Stewart and June Allyson. Both are believable in their roles. And unlike similar films where drama is ramped up to soap opera proportions, the personal story here is of a man who responds to his countries call to duty...and his wife who is left all alone. They clearly love each other but the military life is hard on both of them.

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Love that 1950s kitchen and hey that's not retro, that's the real thing! And could June Allyson look any more doll like in that black and white crinoline dress?

On the DVD that I watched, the film was beautifully restored and looked phenomenal. And if you like history this film goes into great detail explaining S.A.C.s operational role and reasons for being.

rating_3_5

Gideon58

09-14-17, 06:17 PM

As I've mentioned before on other threads, Donnie Darko is among the handful films I just don't understand. It also made my most disturbing film experiences list.

SilentVamp

09-15-17, 10:02 PM

The People V. OJ Simpson (2016)
I honestly tried to watch this when it first came on and I was just bored. I don't know what it was. I have considered giving it another go, but I don't know! Maybe I know too much about the case to care now, but I don't know if it was that. It just didn't seem to draw me in as fast as it should have. I think I only watched 1 1/2 of the episodes. If I remember right I changed the channel during the middle of the second one and I just never went back. I've been waiting for a marathon of it on TV at some point, but it hasn't happened yet. So I don't know if I will ever go out of my way to watch it otherwise.

This was made in 1973 by ITV Yorkshire Television and as such it doesn't have a big budget or a splashy look like a BBC production would have. That's OK, as the film was actually filmed in the Bronte's Haworth parsonage.
I think ITV has surpassed the BBC in quality in the past few years (there are a couple of their programs that I think you would like). I just find myself preferring their programs nowadays. Anyway, you gave me a fact that I didn't know - or maybe did but I didn't let it sink in - that they filmed this at their home. That is interesting. I'm glad to hear that you liked it, though, because I thought it was a good production, too. I think if you want a more thorough telling of their lives, you almost need a little more time put into it. And this definitely gives you that.

Best of all it has Howard Keel and Dolores Gray both who can belt out a tune! and so can Ann Blyth.
No! Best of all you get my Vic Damone belting out in this film. :D

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You may not have given my vocal god any credit in words, but at least you put a picture of him in your review. :D

Citizen Rules

09-15-17, 10:34 PM

Citizen Rules

09-16-17, 02:46 PM

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Angel Face (1953)

Director: Otto Preminger
Writers: Frank Nugent & Oscar Millard (screenplay), Chester Erskine (story)
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, Mona Freeman, Herbert Marshall, Leon Ames
Genre: Film Noir

Executive Producer Howard Hughes, the famous billionaire, churned out some pretty far fetched movies in his time, with both his own production company and at R.K.O. studios including...

Angel Face with it's A-list talent: Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons and director Otto Preminger, should have been a big hit...but this B-budget Noir with it's C-story, has faded into obscurity, with one exception...

The film is noted for a big name fan, French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard who in 1963 named Angel Face as his 8th best American Sound film.

What Godard seen in this troubled production I'll never know. The story plays out like a first draft of a promising premise. That premise being a young well-to-do-woman (Jean Simmons) suffers from a father fixation and despises her step mother, who she feels has stolen dad from her.

The opening scene is an apparent suicide attempt by the mother who's bedroom has the gas valve turned on and she almost asphyxiates. That's when we're introduced to the brooding leading man, (Robert Mitchum), and ambulance driver who's called to the estate.

Here's where the problems begin. Mitchum who's so perfect for Noir, doesn't fit the bill of an easily manipulative, clueless man, who so easily falls for the, all to obvious scheming by the daughter... who then plots to steal Mitchum from his girlfriend (Mona Freeman).

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In one of the film's better scenes, Mona Freeman on the left is set up for a fall by scheming socialite Jean Simmons, who's after the blondes boyfriend.

Jean Simmons is decent as the proper and prim, yet unhinged woman. It's fun to see her derail the former girlfriend with a healthy dose of subterfuge. In fact I love the premise and maybe so did Godard. But there's something lacking in the nuance of the film.

Mitchum and Simmons have no chemistry, maybe because this is such a troubled production. Otto Preminger hated the original script and refused to direct the movie. Howard Hughes ends up taking Preminger on a car ride where he tells him, "I'm going to get even with that little bitch (Jean Simmons),and you're going to help me."

Preminger was then allowed to rewrite the script and given a financial bonus to boot, but only if he could finish the film in under 18 days, by which time Jean Simmons would no longer be under contract to Howard Hughes.

Jean Simmons, knowing that Hughes preferred his leading ladies with long hair, purposely cut her hair short. Thus she wears a rather bad looking wig throughout the movie. So if all this isn't enough to poison the atmosphere on the movie set, this happens:

When Robert Mitchum got fed up with repeated re-takes in which director Otto Preminger ordered him to slap Jean Simmons across the face, he turned around and slapped Preminger, asking whether it was this way he wanted it. Preminger immediately demanded of producer Howard Hughes that Mitchum be replaced. Hughes refused. That sounds like Robert Mitchum and good for him!...It's too bad that his character is more or less a wimpy sap, who easily gets strung along by the movies femme fatale, without any real motivation for him to fall for her.

Jean Simmons' character is neither sinfully alluring like Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity, nor is she a thing of sheer beauty and grace that men fall head over heals for like Gene Tierney in Otto Preminger's' noir Laura.

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Leon Ames proves himself not only to be a well versed character actor but a pretty darn good defense attorney too.

The one saving grace of the film is the courtroom scene, no doubt a Preminger strength. In the courtroom we see Leon Ames as the slick talking attorney...hell he just about convinced me and I had just seen the murder a few minutes earlier.

rating_3

SilentVamp

09-16-17, 04:16 PM

I don't know if you caught the discussion on this, but I had said that I was bored after the second episode and almost didn't finish it. But after the 3rd episode and especially the 4th, I was hooked.
I saw what was written, but you actually made it through the 2nd episode to get to the 3rd. I couldn't make it through the second at all. It felt like a struggle. Like I said, though, if they ever have a marathon on TV (this is the kind of thing that is apt to be something like a New Year's Day marathon), maybe I will give it another try.

Just for you, l'll update my review with a paragraph on him:) I did like his story line as the young prince.
Aw, thanks. :D You want to know what has always bothered me with that movie regarding Vic? "Night of My Nights" is one of my absolute favorite songs to come out of a musical (and the original classical piece that the music is taken from is one of my favorites). In the original Broadway show the Caliph sings the majority of "Night of My Nights" alone until the chorus joins him. They took that opportunity of singing that song away from Vic. On the soundtrack that I own he sings throughout the song but with the chorus singing with him (with the exception of one part). It sounds better than what you see in the film, but I still don't know why they took that song, basically, away from him. It makes no sense. I know Minnelli hated him. No real reason either (kind of like the detective in The Hurricane - it is a mystery). Maybe that had something to do with what they did in the film with the character. I can't remember the incident anymore (I have to look through the book again to see what happened exactly), but I know Minnelli was pretty bad to Vic and I guess Ann Blyth said something along the lines of how she doesn't think he should be treated like that, and Howard Keel said that if Minnelli had treated him the way that Vic was treated, he would've hit Minnelli. I can't for the life of me remember what it was anymore. I will have to look into that and get back to you on it. :)

Citizen Rules

09-16-17, 11:17 PM

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In Dubious Battle (2016)

Director: James Franco
Writers: Matt Rager (screenplay), John Steinbeck (novel)
Cast: Nat Wolff, James Franco, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ed Harris
Genre: Drama

Actor James Franco directs a John Steinbeck novel, bringing it to the big screen for the first time with, In Dubious Battle.

Right off the bat the directorial choices seemed odd, or more to the point they seemed mediocre, like something one would expect to see on a made for TV movie. Almost all the elements of the film were average, and I got the feeling budget concerns was an issue with the movie. The films one claim to fame is it stacks the deck with lots of big name stars in supporting roles: Ed Harris, Robert Duvall, Sam Shepard, John Savage and even pop singer
Selena Gomez. But the soul of the film is lacking.

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Perhaps the best thing James Franco does is act in the movie, and in that job he's pretty good. Unfortunately the other lead actor,
Nat Wolff seemed to be out of place in a film set during the Depression era. His mannerisms seemed very modern...and that's the fault of the director, not the actor.

Beyond that the movie has a rather oppressive at times music score, though I did love the closing credit song. And I couldn't help notice the editing put the camera shots together in a way that continuity sometimes seemed to go out the window.

My biggest problem with this movie version of Steinbeck's 1936 classic novel, is the way the director takes liberties with the story and makes the union organizers, unscrupulousness...that's pure schlock. The director takes these labor organizers who were fighting for fair treatment of the field hands and makes them into cut throats who don't care about human life but only care about the end results. Even if those end results means setting their friends up to be killed...which was never happened in the novel.

I think Steinbeck would be pissed at James Franco.

rating_2

Citizen Rules

09-17-17, 11:31 PM

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Mr. Sardonicus (William Castle 1961)

Director: William Castle
Writers: Ray Russell (screenplay), Ray Russell (novel)
Cast: Ronald Lewis, Audrey Dalton, Guy Rolfe, Oskar Homolka
Genre: Horror, Mystery

Synopsis: In the fictional European country of Gorslave, in 1880 lives a rich baron who's face became frozen in a monstrous grin after a bizarre incident. The baron wears a mask, and has married a beautiful woman who despises him. A young doctor is sent for from London on urgent business to the castle. When the doctor gets there he finds a house of horrors.

Review: This is probably Producer William Castle's most serious and hard hitting horror film. It's a shame more people don't know about it. I suppose that because Castle for each of his films did a gimmick to sell tickets. This time around:

During Mr Sardonicus initial theatrical release, audience members were given small white cards with luminous thumbs with which to vote thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

Although the audience could vote on whether the main character could be pardoned or receive further punishment. William Castle filmed only one ending for the movie.
This gimmick in itself would have been fun for the audience back in 1961....but during the film the story stops and we see William Castle telling us to vote now. Half a century later this gimmick makes the film seem like it was made for kids, but Mr Sardonicus stands up well against Hammer horror of the same era. It deserves some respect.

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The film is well made with a nicely appointed castle set. Looks great! And the actors are all up to the task too. My favorite was Krull (Oscar Homolka) who plays an Igor type henchman to the evil baron. Oscar Homolka was in a number of big pictures earlier in his career including I Remember Mama (1948) and Ball of Fire (1941). He makes a memorable bad guy who just maybe has a bit of decency left in him.

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The movie is based on a novella by Ray Russell and horror master Stephen King has called the novel the best horror fiction he's read. I haven't read the book, but the movie works well and is a mix of Phantom of the Opera, meets The Man Who Laughs...with a creepy castle that Dracula would have been at home in.

The torture scenes are still powerful even today, and at at the time of the films release those scenes had to be cut for showing in the UK.

rating_3_5

Gideon58

09-18-17, 07:59 PM

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[CENTER][SIZE=5]In Dubious Battle (2016)

Nice to see James Franco distancing himself from the Judd Apatow rep company...never heard of this book, I thought I had at least heard of all of Steinbeck's work.

Captain Steel

09-18-17, 08:05 PM

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Mr. Sardonicus (William Castle 1961)

rating_3_5

For some reason I always want to call this movie "Dr. Sardonicus."

I can relate to it though - in the past some people have called me Mr. Sardonic (due to my "grimly mocking or cynical" sense of humor).

Citizen Rules

09-19-17, 03:18 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35144&stc=1&d=1505843882
Patriots Day (2016)

Director: Peter Berg
Writers: Peter Berg & Matt Cook (screenplay)
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Monaghan, J.K. Simmons
Genre: Drama History

"The story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the aftermath, which includes the city-wide manhunt to find the terrorists responsible."

All I really knew about Patriots Day before watching it was that it starred Mark Walberg and looked like a Hollywood action flick from the poster. So I didn't have high expectations going into it.

I hated the way the first 30 minutes was filmed...It looked like a Showtime TV show...with lots of close-ups of the actors, while using a hand held camera with very short scene length. It just looked like cheap film making. Indeed it does cost more to shot wide angle as you have to have a much bigger set, than if you just fill the frame with the giant face of Mark Wahlberg.

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The introduction of the people who lives would later become affected by the bomb is a standard film troupe, but one that usually works damn good, that's why it's a troupe. But not here. I never felt like I knew who these people were, so I never cared about them...That resulted in me not being emotional impacted by the bomb blast scenes, as all the previous scenes of the victims were mere snipets. So when their body parts are laying on the street in a bloody mess, all I'm thinking is: is that CG blood or is it F/X blood? And that's not right, the real bombing incident changed lives forever but the director failed to get any emotional impact out of his scenes, because they look more like a video game, than real life.

When we get into the investigation the film is still weak without strong expose. It's only when we see the bombers and their POV that the movie becomes real, and tense.

I have to say when we see the bombers execute the cop and take the Chinese boy hostage, that was emotionally intense. I was hooked at that moment and thought the film was redeeming itself. But then OMG, along comes Hollywood style explosions, as we see cop car after cop car being blown sky high by the bombers with their homemade pipe bombs. That ruined any credibility the film had built during the hostage scenes. The entire last shot out with the bad guys, was so fake it belonged in a John Wicks movie.

So at the end the director shows us the real victims with photos and screen captions...and sure that's heart felt... but that 12 minute style documentary epilogue doesn't redeem the directors lame decision to turn a tragic real event, into a lame ass action movie. Boo

rating_2

Captain Steel

09-19-17, 03:23 PM

Citizen Rules

09-19-17, 03:32 PM

What is it with real-life movies these days?
Stories I was really looking forward to - like the trapped Chilean Miners (The 33) and the "Miracle on the Hudson" (Sully)- just made for disappointing movies. Now this (haven't seen it, but I trust your rating). Don't trust my rating!:p I was actually thinking of you when I watched this, I wondered if you have seen it before?

The bombers POV, from the time they go on the run, then kill a cop point blank and then take a Chinese boy hostage was intense! My heart was pounding and the shot-out with the terrorist was exciting.

I think you might like it from an entertainment stand point, but I don't think it was good film making per say.

Two other reviewers here gave it rating_4 so I think you should watch it and see for yourself.

Captain Steel

09-19-17, 03:45 PM

Don't trust my rating!:p I was actually thinking of you when I watched this, I wondered if you have seen it before?

The bombers POV from the time they go on the run, kill a cop point blank and take Chinese boy hostage was intense! My heart was pounding and the shot out with the terrorist was exciting. And I think you might like it from an entertainment stand point, but I don't think it was good film making per say.

Two other reviewers here gave it rating_4 so I think you should watch it and see for yourself.

I'd probably watch it just because it was a story I followed in real life (like The 33 & Sully) and as you probably know, terrorism is a topic I'm interested in. For some reason I thought this movie was brand new (like just hitting theaters) - guess not.

The intro you described sounds like so many other movies these days - filmmakers get this avant garde idea in their head that extreme close-ups and shaky cam is "the thing" so they all do it (kind of like how in the 70's every movie had to have a gratuitous nude or sex scene in order to be considered sophisticated enough). When in reality, most would prefer a more traditional style of filmmaking. i.e. It's a fad.

Other movies in this vein were World Trade Center (I just remember being somewhat disappointed) and United 93 (which wasn't bad at all, I just remember that the TV docu-drama seemed better than the big budget feature film.)

Citizen Rules

09-19-17, 11:14 PM

...The intro you described sounds like so many other movies these days - filmmakers get this avant garde idea in their head that extreme close-ups and shaky cam is "the thing" so they all do it... If you ever watch Showtime/HBO TV shows, then the style of film making in Patriots Day will feel familiar.

Citizen Rules

09-19-17, 11:33 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35181&stc=1&d=1505874272
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Genre: Biography, Drama

This is the type of film I love, a historical period piece, bio-pic about an iconic figure...And who's more iconic than Walt Disney himself!

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney was spot on. What a fine job he did! I wish this film had been more about Walt. If it had I would have loved it. Maybe Tom Hanks can reprise his role as Walt Disney and this time tell the story of the creation of the Disney Studios. Well I can wish can't I.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35182&stc=1&d=1505874289

What I didn't like was the way the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) was shown to be so one sided, completely unlikable and demanding. So much so that I just wanted Walt Disney to smack her a good one. She kept making ridiculous demands and belittling everyone at Disney Studios. I guess the director thought her over the top behavior would be funny, but I found it annoying and strongly disliked her character.

For the film to work for me she had to have a soft side to herand she does but it's not until the end of the film that this icy lady begins to warm and so a spark of humanity shows. That's when I started caring about her character.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35183&stc=1&d=1505874324

P.L. Travers wanted the central character of the movie to be exactly the person who she grew up with and wanted everything exactly the way she remembered it. She did not understand that things had to be enhanced for entertainment value, nor did she care about entertainment value, all she wanted was to see her childhood recreated onscreen and I can understand that to a point.

I actually loved when she asked Disney how they were going to train the penguins to dance and when he explained they would be animated she would have none of it.

What I thought strange was the fact that everything Travers fought against, ended up on the screen anyway. A process which began during the fabulous scene where she is shown the "Let's Go Fly a Kite" number for the first time and finally realizes that Disney does understand that the story is about Mr. Banks, not the children.

Any problems I might have had with the Travers character melted away during the scene where she is sitting in the dark theater at the premiere of the film, not really liking what she's saying but unable to deny that everyone around her was absolutely loving what they're seeing, a scene brilliantly executed by Emma Thompson, that scene alone should have gotten her an Oscar nomination.

rating_3

MovieMeditation

09-20-17, 07:05 AM

Great write-up of Patriots Day, CR!!!

I agree with everything you said. The Chinese dude and all that was also one of the only places where I felt some excitement and felt involved in what was happening on screen. The best drama Berg created himself was with this dude.

And I agree about the whole fact that everything is drawn so thin and done so poorly that the bombing scenes never has the impact it needs. Not even close.

On Saving Mr Banks I didn't find it that good either. Watchable, but not that much more. I gave it half a star less I think...

Citizen Rules

09-20-17, 12:58 PM

MovieMeditation

09-20-17, 01:13 PM

Thanks MM:p.....BTW I'll be watching another Berg film Deep Water Horizon, sometime in the near future. I seen where you liked it better than Patriots Day so that gives me some hope.
Yeah. It's the most tolerable Berg film I've seen. It's still kinda bland and a little dumb, But the story was better executed, the acting was better and the visuals were pretty good.

I don't think you'll hate it with a vengeance the same way you did Patriots Day. ;)

Citizen Rules

09-20-17, 01:18 PM

Yeah. It's the most tolerable Berg film I've seen. It's still kinda bland and a little dumb, But the story was better executed, the acting was better and the visuals were pretty good.

I don't think you'll hate it with a vengeance the same way you did Patriots Day. ;)Yeah I haven't rated many films a 1...so far I've never given a 0

MovieMeditation

09-20-17, 01:19 PM

Yeah I haven't rated many films a 1...so far I've never given a 0
What about half a star then? ;)

Citizen Rules

09-20-17, 01:23 PM

Nah, I've not done half a point either...at least not yet:cool:.

What's the lowest score you've given to a movie? and what movie?

MovieMeditation

09-20-17, 02:53 PM

Nah, I've not done half a point either...at least not yet:cool:.

What's the lowest score you've given to a movie? and what movie?
I never give out zero's... Firstly, because all rating-sites only allow down to 1, so giving 0 would mean I wouldn't be able to rate it. And well, 1 star out of 10 or 0.5 out of 5 is just fine as being the lowest. :p

But yeah, in very rare cases, I've giving such a rating. It needs to be EXTREME though. Pretty much no redeeming qualities at all. Complete and utter crap. :D

I've given the movie Area 407 a 0.5 rating. It's a low-low-low-budget Sci-Fy-channelish CG crap fest about dinosaurs loose in an area. Amazing idea for a horror and I love dinos, which is why I watched it, but MAAAN was it bad.

Others are: Urban Legends 3: Bloody Mary, Police Academy 6: Under Siege, Lake Placid 2, Anaconda: Offspring, V/H/S: Viral, Lake Placid 3, Platform, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Cube 2: Hypercube, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Halloween II (Rob Zombie), Meet the Spartans, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday....

I think you can see a pattern here. :p It's either obviously crappy films are the worst ones in a declining franchise that died long before said movie arrived. ;)

Citizen Rules

09-20-17, 03:40 PM

I never give out zero's... Firstly, because all rating-sites only allow down to 1, so giving 0 would mean I wouldn't be able to rate it. And well, 1 star out of 10 or 0.5 out of 5 is just fine as being the lowest. :p

But yeah, in very rare cases, I've giving such a rating. It needs to be EXTREME though. Pretty much no redeeming qualities at all. Complete and utter crap. :D

I've given the movie Area 407 a 0.5 rating. It's a low-low-low-budget Sci-Fy-channelish CG crap fest about dinosaurs loose in an area. Amazing idea for a horror and I love dinos, which is why I watched it, but MAAAN was it bad.

Others are: Urban Legends 3: Bloody Mary, Police Academy 6: Under Siege, Lake Placid 2, Anaconda: Offspring, V/H/S: Viral, Lake Placid 3, Platform, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Cube 2: Hypercube, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Halloween II (Rob Zombie), Meet the Spartans, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday....

I think you can see a pattern here. :p It's either obviously crappy films are the worst ones in a declining franchise that died long before said movie arrived. ;)Luckily I never seen any of those:p and probably won't!

Citizen Rules

09-20-17, 09:57 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35256&stc=1&d=1505954765Mr. Holmes(2015)

Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay), Mitch Cullin (novel)
Cast: Ian McKellen, Milo Parker, Laura Linney
Genre: Drama

"An aged, retired Sherlock Holmes, deals with early dementia, as he tries to remember his final case and a woman, the memory of whom still haunts him. He also befriends a fan, the young son of his housekeeper, who wants him to work again."

Mr. Holmes is just a lovely British film with an easy pace and a solid feel. Nothing is spoon-feed to us, nothing is over dramatized. The film has a rare mixture of realistic sentimentality without being cutesy or overly sweet....This is a film that respects the intelligence of it's audience. I found it quite refreshing.

Ian McKellen is the elderly detective Sherlock Holmes, who we find out is much different in real life than the fictional Holmes of the novels. And this difference I thought made the movie special. I can't say enough good things about this film, it's unpretentious without the tired hullabaloo that most films sport. Ian McKellen, is excellent in the role, he is personable, believable and he always held my attention. Which is a good thing as he's in most of the scenes.

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The film also has stunning cinematography that is beautiful without being obvious. Like the script, the camera work blends effortlessly to make a stunning film that is never over done.

Like a good book by a warm fire on a cold night, Mr Holmes is a treasure. I wish I knew of more films like this.

rating_4

Gideon58

09-21-17, 10:18 AM

Citizen Rules

09-21-17, 12:17 PM

i had heard nothing but great things about this movie until your review Citizen...now my curiosity is definitely piqued I may have to check it out. My low review is out of my moral object to turning a tragic event into an action CG entertainment popcorn flick.

Citizen Rules

09-21-17, 01:41 PM

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The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

Director: Tay Garnett
Writers: Harry Ruskin & Niven Busch(screenplay), James M. Cain (novel)
Cast: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames
Genre: Film Noir

A married woman and a drifter fall in love, then plot to murder her husband. Once the deed is done, they must live with the consequences of their actions.

The Postman Always Rings Twice is based on the 1934 crime novel by James M. Cain. A novel that oozed so much steamy sexuality that it took 12 years before a movie script could pass the Hays production code. Before the 1946 classic, there had been two other movie versions made: Le dernier tournant (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031222/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1939) a French movie, and the Italian Ossessione (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035160/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1943). In 1981 there was an American remake The Postman Always Rings Twice (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082934/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) (1981) featuring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. But it's the 1946, Lana Turner, John Garfield classic that lives in the hearts of film noir fans.

The Postman Always Rings Twice had one of the most nuanced scripts I've seen for a noir and was very polished as one would expect from a big budget MGM production. So many wonderful little details and a great supporting cast that makes this noir stand out.

I loved the way the movie introduced John Garfield to the Two Oaks Diner with the Man Wanted sign, and he'd just hitched a ride from the District Attorney of all people.

And loved the way they introduced Lana Turner, with her lipstick rolling across the floor, as the camera pans to her and then up her legs, then back to Garfield's stunned expression as he takes in her sheer beauty. Then the scene continues with her expecting Garfield to bring the lipstick across the floor to her, but Garfield being too cool to do that.

That scene really established the love hate relationship between the love crossed pair. Oh, and the hamburger burning on the grill because of Garfield's distraction at seeing her, really laid it out...she would be his doom. Like I said lots of nuanced details.

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Just look at the expressions on their faces! If a picture is worth a million dollars, then I'm taking that photo to the bank!

John Garfield was made for this role. MGM thought so too as they borrowed him from Warner Brothers. Garfield is excellent in this as his personality of the roguish, but self destructive rebel worked perfectly for the film.

I liked Lana Turner better than I would have expected. This is one of her greatest roles. She's the cold beauty, that spells doom. She sure looked great in the all white ensemble that she wore.

Not to be missed are three great character actors, Cecil Kellaway as her likeable goof of a husband. Hume Cronyn has one of his finest screen moments as a sleazy defense lawyer and Leon Ames isn't too shaby either as the prosecuting attorney.

rating_4

Gideon58

09-21-17, 05:22 PM

Gideon58

09-21-17, 05:28 PM

[QUOTE=Citizen Rules;1782192]https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35256&stc=1&d=1505954765Mr. Holmes(2015)

Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay), Mitch Cullin (novel)
Cast: Ian McKellen, Milo Parker, Laura Linney
Genre: Drama
[I]

This sounds really interesting and Ian McKellan is always worth watching. Loved your review...loved the analogy of "a good book by a warm fire on a cold night."

Citizen Rules

09-21-17, 11:25 PM

This is a great movie, Lana Turner has never been a great actress but this was a tailor made role for her and it worked. Jessica Lange is absolutely sensational in the remake but this is still a better movie overall.I'm going to watch the 1981 remake in the next week or so and will of course review it.

Mr. Holmes sounds really interesting and Ian McKellan is always worth watching. Loved your review...loved the analogy of "a good book by a warm fire on a cold night." I'd be surprised if you didn't like this one.

gbgoodies

09-22-17, 03:47 AM

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Genre: Biography, Drama

rating_3

I liked Saving Mr. Banks (2013), but it took me a little while to get used to Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. I also wish they had made P.L. Travers a bit more likable, but I don't know much about her, so maybe that's what she was really like.

Mr. Holmes(2015)

Director: Bill Condon
Writer: Jeffrey Hatcher (screenplay), Mitch Cullin (novel)
Cast: Ian McKellen, Milo Parker, Laura Linney
Genre: Drama

rating_4

I've tried to watch Mr. Holmes a few times, but, (through no fault of the movie itself), I haven't been able to get past the first 15 - 20 minutes of the movie. Every time I start the movie, I seem to get interrupted by something and I have to turn it off. I hope to actually see the movie at some point.

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

Director: Tay Garnett
Writers: Harry Ruskin & Niven Busch(screenplay), James M. Cain (novel)
Cast: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames
Genre: Film Noir

rating_4

I liked The Postman Always Rings Twice, but it seemed far-fetched that the D.A. seemed to know that they were going to try to kill her husband a second time, but he did nothing to try to stop it. (IIRC, he said he was on to them since the incident with the cat.)

I also find it hard to believe that a guy like John Garfield could so easily beat up a guy the size of Alan Reed, (the blackmailer). (I also found it distracting that they were being blackmailed by Fred Flintstone, because I heard his voice the second that he started talking, but that's not really a fault of the movie.)

Gideon58

09-22-17, 10:26 AM

[QUOTE=Citizen Rules;1781329]https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35181&stc=1&d=1505874272
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Genre: Biography, Drama

[QUOTE]

LOVED your review of this movie Citizen and I agree with most of what you said, it's true that Hanks in a true Disney biopic would have been ideal but that was not the concept behind this particular film, it's really about Travers. I'm hot and cold with Emma Thompson but I have never enjoyed her onscreen more than I did here. I also think she should have received an Oscar nomination. I also cracked up when she asked about training the penguins to dance and that scene of Travers in the dark theater at the premiere is absolutely BRILLIANT!

Citizen Rules

09-22-17, 12:33 PM

....I also find it hard to believe that a guy like John Garfield could so easily beat up a guy the size of Alan Reed, (the blackmailer). (I also found it distracting that they were being blackmailed by Fred Flintstone, because I heard his voice the second that he started talking, but that's not really a fault of the movie.)Fred Flintstone? Wow, that's interesting! I didn't know that...But yeah if I had known that I would be expecting his fellow blackmailer to be Barney Rubble:laugh:

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Genre: Biography, Drama
LOVED your review of this movie Citizen and I agree with most of what you said, it's true that Hanks in a true Disney biopic would have been ideal but that was not the concept behind this particular film, it's really about Travers. I'm hot and cold with Emma Thompson but I have never enjoyed her onscreen more than I did here. I also think she should have received an Oscar nomination. I also cracked up when she asked about training the penguins to dance and that scene of Travers in the dark theater at the premiere is absolutely BRILLIANT!I like Emma Thompson usually, but the screen writers needed to give her a glimmer of kindness in the first part of the movie.

Gideon58

09-22-17, 01:16 PM

Fred Flintstone? Wow, that's interesting! I didn't know that...But yeah if I had known that I would be expecting his fellow blackmailer to be Barney Rubble:laugh:

I like Emma Thompson usually, but the screen writers needed to give her a glimmer of kindness in the first part of the movie.

Alan Reed, the voice of Fred Flintstone, also appears in the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany's...he plays Sally Tomato, a mobster who Holly Golightly(Audrey Hepburn) visits once a month.

Captain Steel

09-22-17, 02:53 PM

Alan Reed, the voice of Fred Flintstone, also appears in the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany's...he plays Sally Tomato, a mobster who Holly Golightly(Audrey Hepburn) visits once a month.

This is weird - Alan Reed was also in a movie Rules just reviewed: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). I wonder if he heard Fred Flintstone in that movie?

I also remember him in Far Horizons (1955) the largely non-factual Lewis & Clark story and I think Reed played Sacajawea's French husband. Sacajawea, btw, was played by Donna Reed wearing skin paint (about the whitest, non-Native American looking actress you could think of!)

The funny thing about Alan Reed was he always sounded like Fred Flintstone (for those of us who were first introduced to his voice there) in all his appearances!

Captain Steel

09-22-17, 03:06 PM

I missed that gbg already mentioned Alan (Fred Flintstone) Reed appearing in The Postman Always Rings Twice.

Thanks to Camo!

Gideon58

09-22-17, 03:10 PM

Yeah, that's how the whole Alan Reed discussion got kicked off.

Citizen Rules

09-22-17, 10:17 PM

Alan Reed? who's he?;)

Captain Steel

09-22-17, 10:49 PM

Alan Reed? who's he?;)

The Medela Effect: Alan Reed regularly voiced a character named Fred Flintstone!

Citizen Rules

09-22-17, 11:02 PM

The Medela Effect: Alan Reed never voiced a character named Fred Flinstone!Wait, I swear there was a T in your post just 2 seconds ago:eek:

Captain Steel

09-22-17, 11:45 PM

Wait, I swear there was a T in your post just 2 seconds ago:eek:

Look again. Looks right to me!

gbgoodies

09-23-17, 12:51 AM

This is weird - Alan Reed was also in a movie Rules just reviewed: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). I wonder if he heard Fred Flintstone in that movie?

I also remember him in Far Horizons (1955) the largely non-factual Lewis & Clark story and I think Reed played Sacajawea's French husband. Sacajawea, btw, was played by Donna Reed wearing skin paint (about the whitest, non-Native American looking actress you could think of!)

The funny thing about Alan Reed was he always sounded like Fred Flintstone (for those of us who were first introduced to his voice there) in all his appearances!

Yeah, Alan Reed had a very distinct voice, to the point where it was sometimes distracting because I can't help but picture Fred Flintstone whenever I hear him.

edarsenal

09-23-17, 02:08 PM

Gideon58 I'm pretty confident, and would be very surprised if you DIDN'T enjoy Mr. Holmes. And CR did it a grand justice and like you said, that finally description in the review IS very fitting.

and wait a moment -- Fred Flintsone BLACKMAILS Garfield in TPART?!?!
Okay, for some oddball reason I had always been on the fence about seeing it. Don't ask, I'm not really sure why, I just was. But NOW, I wanna see Fred causing some sh@t lol

Camo

09-23-17, 02:24 PM

The Medela Effect: Alan Reed regularly voiced a character named Fred Flintstone!

Think this post in itself is a Medela Effect since i remember it being the Mandela Effect :D

Citizen Rules

09-23-17, 10:34 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35398&stc=1&d=1506214988
WANDA (1970)
Director: Barbara Loden

Writer: Barbara Loden
Cast: Barbara Loden, Michael Higgins
Genre: Drama

About: A poor woman living without hope in a Pennsylvania coal town. Wanda Goronski shuts out the bleak life around her by drinking and sleeping the day away. She neglects her children and husband, then loses both in the courtroom. She then takes to aimlessly wondering around town where she meets a man who verily tolerates her presences.

Background: Wanda (1970) is an independent film, directed, written, edited and acted by the lead character played by Barbara Loden. Barbara was one of the first American women to direct/write and star in her own film. She was primarily known for theatrical work and for her roles in Wild River (1960) and Splendor in the Grass (1961) both directed by her future husband Elia Kazan.

Wanda debuted at Venice International Film Festival where it won an Award for foreign films. It played a couple theaters in America, then disappeared for 35 years. It was not until it's restoration and release in 2006 that audiences got a chance to look at this one time directorial debut by Barbara Loden.

Style: Wanda has been called a forerunner to the slow cinema movement. Indeed the film has long scene takes with little to no dialogue at times. It's best described as reflective. We go for a ride with Wanda, but the film does not spoon-feed us information, nor does it manipulate our emotions. Wanda is there, we watch her because it seems like we are watching real life.

Making this independent docu-drama film seem realer is the 16mm print that's been enlarged to 35mm frame size. This blowing up of the film results in grain that gives the film an archival mystique look.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35402&stc=1&d=1506216887

Barbara Loden: herself stated that her film was auto-biographical in nature and that the character she plays is very close to her own experiences in a poor rural area. What struck me about the actress was the emotions she conveys, without saying much, her face speaks volumes. If we are in tune with the film then we can understand the power of dissolution. It's dissolution and a lack of hope that drives the film and makes Wanda take the course in life that she does.

Sadly Barbara Loden died only 10 years after making Wanda and never had a chance to direct another film. This is her swan song, and it's a good one.

rating_4

cricket

09-23-17, 10:50 PM

Oh well, I appreciate your review but I strongly disagree with your thoughts on Patriot's Day.

Citizen Rules

09-23-17, 10:57 PM

Oh well, I appreciate your review but I strongly disagree with your thoughts on Patriot's Day.That's cool...I seen you had reviewed it so I knew you liked it, pretty well.

If the final confrontation with the terrorist hadn't been turned into a Hollywood action flick mega explosion scene, I might have given it a 3/5... But like I explained to Gideon, I was outraged by the crappy & campy way the director trivialized the events by showing us multiple car explosions. I don't like films that pretend to be serious but then go for the all mighty buck with gasoline bomb explosion. It didn't help that Mark Wahlberg starred, I find him stoic, he's sort of like Matt Damon to me, in fact sometimes I get them confused:p

cricket

09-23-17, 11:17 PM

Citizen Rules

09-23-17, 11:20 PM

What everyone said during and after the crazy chase and shootout, when bullets were flying and bombs were being thrown out of a car, was that it was like something out of a movie. Everyone who was there said the movie captured the scene perfectly, and they had Watertown police on the set as advisors.

I can understand your feeling on Mark Wahlberg. I have mixed feelings toward him, but he's been in a lot of movies I like or love. I didn't know that about the shoot out, that it was so real, OK thanks. But still gasoline bombs to blow up cars? I learned that's what Hollywood does for car explosions from watching Myth Busters. I just didn't like the way that was filmed, or the way the first 30 minutes was filmed. But I did really like the entire scene with the Chinese boy, that was damn good.

cricket

09-23-17, 11:24 PM

I didn't know that, about the shoot out. But still gasoline bombs to blow up cars? I learned that's what Hollywood does for car explosions from watching Myth Busters. I just didn't like the way that was filmed, or the way the first 30 minutes was filmed. I did really like the entire scene with the Chinese boy, that was damn good.

The same bombs they used at the marathon they were throwing out of their car at the police cars while they were being chased. It was so nuts that one terrorist ended up accidentally running over the other during one of the shoot-outs.

If you're talking about how the movie looked when you say how the movie was filmed, my wife and I couldn't believe how real it looked, like we were actually standing there live.

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 05:30 PM

@Citizen Rules (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=84637)
William Castle, that's the guy who gets more or less played by John Goodman in Matinee?...

Matinee
Not a blockbuster - but it is memorable as it captures a snapshot of a particular era: the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, duck-and-cover, Atomic-mutation-B-sci-fi movie era. And how all that serves as the backdrop for a movie theater and the horror movies it shows.

It's a movie that appeals particularly to film history buffs, people who lived through the era and experienced being a kid at that time, and fans of the black and white low budget sci-fi movies (like many of the ones you review here). Thanks guys! I just watched Matinee (1993)...a fun film for a fan of William Castle. And I had never heard of it until you guys mentioned it... Very cool.

I love recommendations, and I've seen a lot of neat films that way, thanks to fellow MoFos:p

So now I'll review it. Any other recommendations based on what I like? just shout em out!

Joel

09-24-17, 05:31 PM

You should seek out "Split" from 1989 directed by Chris Shaw. Then you should review it here, for us MoFo's.

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 05:36 PM

You should seek out "Split" from 1989 directed by Chris Shaw. Then you should review it here, for us MoFo's. That sounds kind of cool, I'll put that on my Too Watch list...don't know when I'll get to it, but one of these days. I like Sci-Fi of most all types.

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 06:08 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35429&stc=1&d=1506286631
Matinee (Joe Dante, 1993)

Director: Joe Dante
Cast: John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, Simon Fenton, Robert Picardo
Genre: Comedy Drama

About: In 1962 Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a colorful B budget movie producer blows into town to promote his next horror flick, MANT. The producer is big on talk and promotional gimmicks but without a dime in his pocket. He whips the town into a frenzy to sell movie tickets, playing on the residents fear of atomic destruction.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35430&stc=1&d=1506286638

A scene from MANT, a movie within the movie. Cathy Moriarty not only plays the lead in MANT, but in Mantinee as well, where she's the producers girlfriend & assistant. She even plays a fake nurse...a gimmick based on the real William Castle who had actresses playing nurses in the movie's lobby, just in case someone was scared to death by his film!

Gawds this was a fun movie! It ain't the greatest movie, but I loved how huckster and low budget movie producer Lawrence Woolner (John Goodman) was based on William Castle. Castle was the king of movie promotion gimmicks in the late 50s and 60s. I've been watching a lot of William Castle films lately, which include archival clips of Castle standing in front of movie theaters and promoting his films in the most ingenious way, just like in this film.
If you notice the name of the director, it's Joe Dante, who directed such well known films as: The Howling (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082533/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_36), Gremlins (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087363/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_33), The 'Burbs (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096734/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_27). But what you might not know about Joe Dante is he cut his directorial teeth working for the other King of B movies, Roger Corman, directing such B classics as: Piranha (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078087/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_38) &Rock 'n' Roll High School (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079813/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_37) .

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35431&stc=1&d=1506286647
Love the run down look of the movie marque and the FIGHT PAY T.V. sign...

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35432&stc=1&d=1506286654
Check out the period piece movie posters. Panic in the Zero, I've heard that's a good one.

So what does all this movie history have to do with the review of Matinee (1993)? Everything! the entire movie is an ode to the great B horror films of the past. We see parts of the fictional movie MANT (a man fused with an ant), on the screen as kids watch and shriek. This movie in a movie is only part of the fun.

Add to that a whole high school teen age romance complete with a juvenile delinquent who loves poetry, bomb shelters and the infamous Duck and Cover bomb drills, and if that's not enough nostalgia, theres guest appearances by Dick Miller and Kevin McCarthy (and others) who appeared in the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers. With Matinee you get a fun time machine back to a simpler time when all a boy had to worry about was if he would kiss the girl before the atom bomb dropped on his head!

rating_3_5 and a bunch of ++++ for nostalgic fun!

Captain Steel

09-24-17, 09:43 PM

Thanks guys! I just watched Matinee (1993)...a fun film for a fan of William Castle. And I had never heard of it until you guys mentioned it... Very cool.

I love recommendations, and I've seen a lot of neat films that way, thanks to fellow MoFos:p

So now I'll review it. Any other recommendations based on what I like? just shout em out!

I've got a bunch of them, but I can never think of them until I'm reminded by something else!

BTW, Cathy Moriarity who appears in Matinee has always been just entirely sexual. I remember her from Neighbors (1981) where she was the temptress next door. She just had a certain something. She's the penultimate vamp!

Captain Steel

09-24-17, 10:10 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=33499&stc=1&d=1502853330
WALL·E (2008)

Director: Andrew Stanton
Writers: Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter (story)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Sci Fi
Studio: Disney Pixar
Rating: G
Length: 98 minutes

Everyone loves WALL-E, the critics loved it! the fans loved it!..it won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film and was nominated for five other Oscars as well. WALL-E has a very high user rating of 8.4 on IMDB. But why all this love?

Myself, I was amazed at parts of the movie, I loved certain aspects of it, I enjoyed it, it was fresh (mostly) and yet there were a few things that didn't work for me...and two aspects of the movie that I out right hated.

What did I love? and hate? and what impressed me? Keep reading.

I loved the...opening scenes on a post apocalyptic Earth. An Earth that seemed to be filled with trash and remnants of some strange future society, now vanished...except for one lone robot.

I like WALL-E the robot. He was personable and charming with his childlike curiosity over the discarded junk of a dead society. He was a bit sad too. Seemingly all alone on a planet void of life. I was so glad to see his cockroach friend. Not so much so that he wouldn't be all alone, but because one lone cockroach gave a glimmer of hope that the world had not become a barren planet void of all life.
I bet you didn't think of that did ya?

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=33503&stc=1&d=1502853390

World building...The movie did world building, so well! Each frame of the film was full of detail. Even in the furthest corners of each frame, I could see layers of someone's ideas that were put on the screen and yet if you blinked you'd miss them. I love the background sets of films, and this movie was richly designed. The animation was a real joy to behold.

I also loved...the way the first scenes on Earth played out like an old Charlie Chaplin film with WALL-E as the little tramp exploring his world in a Chaplinesque type of way. Gosh I wish the film had went with that idea.

Hitchcock once said that the audience is always one step ahead of the film, anticipating what they will see next. I did this too, and I was disappointed when the film didn't turn out to be WALL-E going about his daily routines and in the process discovering the mystery of what had happened to humanity. I suppose that would be too bleak for Disney, but oh well I can dream can't I.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=33500&stc=1&d=1502853340

What I hated it...was Eve. I hated the way the robot looked. It had no charm and looked antiseptic and rather cheaply done. It moved like a exile for the cartoon The Power Puff Girls, which I actually like, but I sure didn't like Eve.

Even worse was the voice, which instantly took me out of the film as it sounded like an actresses voice, and not a robot. I bought into WALL-E sounding real, as he was mechanical sounding, but EVE sounded like a person duping their lines in the studio.

I really didn't care...about the romance between the two robots. That was cooked, I didn't buy it, and I didn't care in fact it was poorly done without much character building..By the time they leave Earth and head into space, I was thinking the film was a total loss.

But then it got real good!...when they got aboard the Axiom. Hot damn! Disney has some guts to do what they did with the humans. I couldn't believe they made their social commentary and satire, so blatant. I approve too! I'm talking of course about the humans who had grown grotesquely fat in the distant future after living a sedentary, self indulgent life abroad the Axiom.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=33501&stc=1&d=1502853351
Some of my favorite scenes...Monty Python would've been proud of Disney.

Oh My God! I couldn't believe they showed these people chugging down sugary supersized drinks as they floated on their carts, because they were too fat to walk. Hey, I didn't say that, Disney did!

In one scene a portly human falls out of his cart and couldn't even get up, holly crap, that was bold of Disney to show. Will anybody take the social message of the film and improve their own life styles? I doubt it, but it was funny none the less.

I doubt anyone got this...but, the Axiom is not a space ship at all, it's a giant cruise ship...complete with a regenerative food buffet none the less, ha. I loved the reference to 'Gopher', I doubt the kiddies got it, but I sure did. I mean all one has to do is look at the ship and see it's a supersized cruise ship. They even had the big pool on the lido deck. So if you've ever been on a cruise you can appreciate just how priceless all that was. Loved this part of it!

But you know what I hated?...The insidious cat-walling of the two robots saying over and over again E VAAA....WALLLL E....E VAAA... Repeat that a 100 times and I got space sick. I mean I literally got a headache over the dumbnumbdaness of it.

I didn't really care about the bad robots vs the good robots...or the Captain vs the AutoPilot, nor did I care that they went back to Earth. I was actually hoping they would stay in space, cause Earth seemed better off without the Humans.

rating_3_5

Finally saw WALL-E! (it showed up on Starz On-Demand).

Question: don't know if I missed something, but there's all this hoopla about EVE being in possession of a plant, but they open her up and OOPS! the plant is gone! (Later it shows up somewhere else on the Axiom). Where did it go and how did it get out of her compartment? Did I miss a scene or something?

Also, I like the comment on what happened to the humans due to their sedentary lifestyle, but a one point, the movie almost seems to pull a cop out by saying the state of the humans is due to the resultant bone loss of zero gravity (was this just supposed to be the computer providing an "excuse" for the humans?) This is a very real danger for humans in a non-gravity environment in space... But A: there's obviously gravity throughout the ship and B: if humans had suffered bone loss the way the computer displayed then there'd be no way the Captain could just will himself to get up and walk (i.e. all the humans would've been complete & permanent cripples).

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 10:12 PM

I've got a bunch of them, but I can never think of them until I'm reminded by something else! Hopefully your noggin' will get a joggin' not time ya login and see my reviews:p Silly rhyme, sorry!

BTW, Cathy Moriarity who appears in Matinee has always been just entirely sexual. I remember her from Neighbors (1981) where she was the temptress next door. She just had a certain something. She's the penultimate vamp! Neighbors (1981), hmm, did I see that? It's with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd? If so I seen that back in 1981, I should watch that again. See, you did again! I'll put that down for a movie to watch.:p

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 10:17 PM

Finally saw WALL-E! (it showed up on Starz On-Demand). Did you like it?

Question: don't know if I missed something, but there's all this hoopla about EVE being in possession of a plant, but they open her up and OOPS! the plant is gone! (Later it shows up somewhere else on the Axiom). Where did it go and how did it get out of her compartment? Did I miss a scene or something?GBG will know...she watched it a million times:p gbgoodies about the plant?

Also, I like the comment on what happened to the humans due to their sedentary lifestyle, but a one point, the movie almost seems to pull a cop out by saying the state of the humans is due to the resultant bone loss of zero gravity (was this just supposed to be the computer providing an "excuse" for the humans?) This is a very real danger for humans in a non-gravity environment in space... But A: there's obviously gravity throughout the ship and B: if humans had suffered bone loss the way the computer displayed then there'd be no way the Captain could just will himself to get up and walk (i.e. all the humans would've been complete & permanent cripples).I don't know? gbgoodies we need your help again!

Captain Steel

09-24-17, 10:26 PM

Hopefully your noggin' will get a joggin' not time ya login and see my reviews:p Silly rhyme, sorry!
Neighbors (1981), hmm, did I see that? It's with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd? If so I seen that back in 1981, I should watch that again. See, you did again! I'll put that down for a movie to watch.:p

Neighbors (1981) is entirely a "cult" film. It's got bits that are hysterically funny (probably my favorite role for Dan Aykroyd ever), but it is weird and gets weirder as it goes along. It's hard to even know how to classify it... a comedy obviously but is it also a fantasy? By the end it's almost hard to define what exactly it's about or what it's message really is.
Cathy Moriarty could almost give the movie an X rating just with her voice and the looks she gives with her eyes!

Probably my favorite scene, when Vic (Aykroyd) gets on the phone...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2Yh7P1nI_U

But whatever you do don't confuse it with the movie of the same title starring Seth Rogen - it's a shame that they used the same title, and it's not a remake either. I haven't even seen the newer Neighbors (2014) but hey, it's a Seth Rogen movie so what more needs to be said? ;)

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 10:34 PM

Ha! That was funny! So now I got to bump that up my list and watch it sooner, than later.

Citizen Rules

09-24-17, 11:23 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35447&stc=1&d=1506304198

Zotz! (1962)

Director: William Castle
Producer: William Castle
Writers: Ray Russell (screenplay), Walter Karig (novel)
Cast: Tom Poston, Julia Meade, Jim Backus, Cecil Kellaway, Fred Clark

mirror
If you've seen The Absent Minded Professor (1961), you'll have a leg up on this comedy-fantasy by producer William Castle.

The emphasis is on laughs, as our absent minded professor, aptly played by Tom Poston, finds an ancient coin and translates what's written on it.

When he first speaks the magically word Zotz! Lighting and wind appear in the dark skies, it is just a storm outside? or something more else?...then comes a knock at his living room window, it's a woman, she's soaking wet and doesn't have a stick of clothing on!

OK, so this is 1962 and we don't actually see Julia Meade in the buff, but our professor does and being a gentleman, like myself;) he offers her his coat and invites her into his home.

Tom Poston was funny in this, and he paired well with Julia Meade who we later find out is a new to town, college professor. Yes, you guessed it, romance ensues. But this ain't no romantic movie...oh no, see the professor finds out that if he points a figure at someone they double over in pain! If he says Zotz! time slows down, and if he points a figure and says Zotz that person kicks the bucket!

So that's where the comedy comes from. To that mix we add Jim Backus (Mr Howell from Gilligan's Island) as an underhanded fellow professor who wants the Deans job. And we have a cute college age niece who's there to get in harms way from the secret spies.

That's right it's 1962 at the height of the cold war, so our professor heads to the Pentagon to help America with his Zotz power, and when he's not believed he's kidnapped by Soviet agents.

So there you go, this is a fun, non-horror film from Mr Castle.

rating_3

Captain Steel

09-24-17, 11:38 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35447&stc=1&d=1506304198
Zotz! (1962)

3

I had a feeling this one would show up sooner or later.

I don't remember much of it, but I do remember getting the distinct feeling that this movie was a proposition for a TV series.

It just had that feel to it and seemed to have so many standard cliches that would show up in other sitcoms of the era such as the comedic antagonist / co-worker, the love interest, the cute niece, etc. The cliches seemed reminiscent of such shows as: Bachelor Father, My Favorite Martian, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, etc. where, at least in the last three, the main character is always getting into trouble due to his secret (in this case Zotz!) and trying to keep others from finding out.

gbgoodies

09-25-17, 01:31 AM

Finally saw WALL-E! (it showed up on Starz On-Demand).

Question: don't know if I missed something, but there's all this hoopla about EVE being in possession of a plant, but they open her up and OOPS! the plant is gone! (Later it shows up somewhere else on the Axiom). Where did it go and how did it get out of her compartment? Did I miss a scene or something?

Also, I like the comment on what happened to the humans due to their sedentary lifestyle, but a one point, the movie almost seems to pull a cop out by saying the state of the humans is due to the resultant bone loss of zero gravity (was this just supposed to be the computer providing an "excuse" for the humans?) This is a very real danger for humans in a non-gravity environment in space... But A: there's obviously gravity throughout the ship and B: if humans had suffered bone loss the way the computer displayed then there'd be no way the Captain could just will himself to get up and walk (i.e. all the humans would've been complete & permanent cripples).

If you watch carefully when EVE is brought to the captain, the auto-pilot, OTTO, scans her and then flashes "A113". He then looks at the security robot, GO-4, (the one with the red light on top). He's telling GO-4 to steal the plant. (A little while later, we see GO-4 getting rid of the plant by putting it in a pod and sending it out to space to self-destruct, but WALL-E is in the pod, and saves the plant.)

We find out later in the movie that "A113" is a classified code that tells OTTO that it's not safe to go back to Earth, so OTTO has to get rid of the plant to stop the captain from returning the ship to Earth.

About the Captain walking, the reason that everyone is so fat is not just because of gravity, but also because of laziness and overeating. When the captain plays the video about returning to Earth, there's a part when Fred Willard tells him that with some exercise, they'll be back to normal soon.

gbgoodies

09-25-17, 01:33 AM

GBG will know...she watched it a million times:p gbgoodies about the plant?

I don't know? gbgoodies we need your help again!

Not quite "a million times", but definitely a lot. :D

I responded in the previous post. Hopefully that helps. :)

gbgoodies

09-25-17, 01:41 AM

Zotz! (1962)

Director: William Castle
Producer: William Castle
Writers: Ray Russell (screenplay), Walter Karig (novel)
Cast: Tom Poston, Julia Meade, Jim Backus, Cecil Kellaway, Fred Clark

If you've seen The Absent Minded Professor (1961), you'll have a leg up on this comedy-fantasy by producer William Castle.

So there you go, this is a fun, non-horror film from Mr Castle.

rating_3

I haven't had much interest in most of the William Castle movies that you've been watching recently, but Zotz! sounds like it might be fun. I added it to my watchlist.

gbgoodies

09-25-17, 01:43 AM

I had a feeling this one would show up sooner or later.

I don't remember much of it, but I do remember getting the distinct feeling that this movie was a proposition for a TV series.

It just had that feel to it and seemed to have so many standard cliches that would show up in other sitcoms of the era such as the comedic antagonist / co-worker, the love interest, the cute niece, etc. The cliches seemed reminiscent of such shows as: Bachelor Father, My Favorite Martian, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, etc. where, at least in the last three, the main character is always getting into trouble due to his secret (in this case Zotz!) and trying to keep others from finding out.

I love "My Favorite Martian", so if Zotz! is anything like that show, I'll have to push it up closer to the top of my watchlist. :)

Captain Steel

09-25-17, 03:09 AM

If you watch carefully when EVE is brought to the captain, the auto-pilot, OTTO, scans her and then flashes "A113". He then looks at the security robot, GO-4, (the one with the red light on top). He's telling GO-4 to steal the plant. (A little while later, we see GO-4 getting rid of the plant by putting it in a pod and sending it out to space to self-destruct, but WALL-E is in the pod, and saves the plant.)

We find out later in the movie that "A113" is a classified code that tells OTTO that it's not safe to go back to Earth, so OTTO has to get rid of the plant to stop the captain from returning the ship to Earth.

About the Captain walking, the reason that everyone is so fat is not just because of gravity, but also because of laziness and overeating. When the captain plays the video about returning to Earth, there's a part when Fred Willard tells him that with some exercise, they'll be back to normal soon.

I totally missed the plant getting stolen (don't know if I dozed off for a moment or went to get a snack or what) - I was just baffled as to where the plant went - especially when retrieving it set up the third act. I had a feeling OTTO was behind it, since he didn't want the ship going back to Earth. Also, I noticed in the photos that Rules posted - how OTTO gets bigger in each photo of each Captain (giving indication as to OTTO"s increasing power and who is really running the ship. I didn't catch that when watching the film either). Thanks.

Citizen Rules

09-25-17, 02:28 PM

Zotz! I had a feeling this one would show up sooner or later.

I don't remember much of it, but I do remember getting the distinct feeling that this movie was a proposition for a TV series.

It just had that feel to it and seemed to have so many standard cliches that would show up in other sitcoms of the era such as the comedic antagonist / co-worker, the love interest, the cute niece, etc. The cliches seemed reminiscent of such shows as: Bachelor Father, My Favorite Martian, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, etc. where, at least in the last three, the main character is always getting into trouble due to his secret (in this case Zotz!) and trying to keep others from finding out. I hadn't thought of that but I could see William Castle pitching his Zotz! as a TV series. I mean they made those wacky kind of TV shows in the early-mid 60s.

Not quite "a million times", but definitely a lot. :D

I responded in the previous post. Hopefully that helps. :)Thanks! I knew, you would know the answers about Wall-E.

I haven't had much interest in most of the William Castle movies that you've been watching recently, but Zotz! sounds like it might be fun. I added it to my watchlist.It's fun, not great or anything, but if you look at the original movie poster you can see where they were going with the movie.

https://www.oldtimecandy.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/z/o/zotz-6bulk-open.jpg

Whoops that was a pic of the candy Zotz! Does anybody remember that?

Citizen Rules

09-25-17, 02:32 PM

I love "My Favorite Martian", so if Zotz! is anything like that show, I'll have to push it up closer to the top of my watchlist. My Favorite Martian was great :up: I'll have to watch that show sometime. Right now I started on Happy Days. I've watched Season 1 & 2 and liked it so much that I'm rewatching them as I wait for my library to get Season 3 in.

It's funny how Ritchie is just an average high school kid, yet each week he has a hot date with a different girl!....Hmm, I don't remember high school being this much fun.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/944/Hap15LindaPurl.jpg

Citizen Rules

09-25-17, 11:26 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35521&stc=1&d=1506391778

13 Frightened Girls (1963)
Director: William Castle
Producer: William Castle
Writers: Otis L. Guernsey Jr. (story), Robert Dillon (screenplay)
Cast: Kathy Dunn, Murray Hamilton, Lynne Sue Moon, Hugh Marlowe
Genre: Family Adventure, Comedy, Thriller

mirrorThe much maligned & often misunderstood, odd-ball film of horror director, William Castle. I'll tell you a secret, 13 Frightened Girls, is not a horror film. It has nothing to do with Castle's other horror cult classic 13 Ghost.

So what is it? It's a take on the perky teen girl movie phenomenon that was big in the early 60s, with both British born Haley Mills and American Sandra Dee. The film is about a group of diplomats' daughters who attend a special school and have a vacation coming up, which they spend in the big city. The lead girl is the daughter or an American ambassador, 16-year-old Candy Hull (Kathy Dunn). She develops a crush on her dad's friend & fellow intelligence officer Wally Sanders (Murray Hamilton). When she learns that Wally will be fired unless he can uncover some secret espionage, Candy decides to use her special privileges and starts gathering covert information from the house of the Chinese ambassador. Which puts her in harms way!

mirror
"William Castle was famous for promoting his films with gimmicks. He generated publicity by advertising for girls from 13 different countries to compete for parts as daughters of diplomats."

Family fun, teen style light drama, with cloak and dagger spy stuff included. But no horror in sight. I liked this! It was fun and reminded me of 1964's The Moon Spinners with Haley Mills. The movie held my interest as it's well made and delivers for it's intended audience.

Kathy Dunn was as good as Sandra Dee or Hayley Mills ever was. I thought she had great screen presences and was very naturalistic in her acting. I don't know why she didn't have a bigger career.

13 Frightened Girls could almost been made for Disney, except for the more bloody scenes, thanks to the master mind of William Castle.

rating_3

gbgoodies

09-26-17, 04:32 AM

My Favorite Martian was great :up: I'll have to watch that show sometime. Right now I started on Happy Days. I've watched Season 1 & 2 and liked it so much that I'm rewatching them as I wait for my library to get Season 3 in.

It's funny how Ritchie is just an average high school kid, yet each week he has a hot date with a different girl!....Hmm, I don't remember high school being this much fun.

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/944/Hap15LindaPurl.jpg

You should watch "My Favorite Martian" when you get a chance. Even after all these years, it's still one of my favorite shows. I have the whole series on DVD.

"Happy Days" was also a great show, but I think the first few seasons and the last few seasons were weaker than the rest of the series. I watched it when it originally aired, and then I watched the reruns all the time. It's one of those shows that was on so many channels around here for a while that we thought it would always be on the air somewhere, but somehow it just fizzled out eventually. That's why it's so important to buy the DVDs of any shows that you like a lot. :)

Citizen Rules

09-26-17, 12:19 PM

You should watch "My Favorite Martian" when you get a chance. Even after all these years, it's still one of my favorite shows. I have the whole series on DVD.Three seasons of My Favorite Martian, is that right? If so then my library has it.

"Happy Days" was also a great show, but I think the first few seasons and the last few seasons were weaker than the rest of the series. I watched it when it originally aired, and then I watched the reruns all the time. It's one of those shows that was on so many channels around here for a while that we thought it would always be on the air somewhere, but somehow it just fizzled out eventually. That's why it's so important to buy the DVDs of any shows that you like a lot. :)[/quote]I can't afford to buy DVDs, I just checked at my library and it has seasons 1-6, so that will have to do. Maybe Netflix DVD has some of the other seasons. I haven't checked there yet.

gbgoodies

09-26-17, 11:49 PM

Three seasons of My Favorite Martian, is that right? If so then my library has it.

Yes, three seasons. :up:

Your library is so much better than mine. My library never has anything that I'm looking for, unless it's a common blockbuster movie. :(

"Happy Days" was also a great show, but I think the first few seasons and the last few seasons were weaker than the rest of the series. I watched it when it originally aired, and then I watched the reruns all the time. It's one of those shows that was on so many channels around here for a while that we thought it would always be on the air somewhere, but somehow it just fizzled out eventually. That's why it's so important to buy the DVDs of any shows that you like a lot. :)

I can't afford to buy DVDs, I just checked at my library and it has seasons 1-6, so that will have to do. Maybe Netflix DVD has some of the other seasons. I haven't checked there yet.

I don't think the full series of "Happy Days" has been released on DVD yet. I've only seen seasons 1-6 so far, so as far as I know, your library is up to date.

Citizen Rules

09-26-17, 11:57 PM

Yes, three seasons. :up:

Your library is so much better than mine. My library never has anything that I'm looking for, unless it's a common blockbuster movie. :(

I don't think the full series of "Happy Days" has been released on DVD yet. I've only seen seasons 1-6 so far, so as far as I know, your library is up to date. Good to know!

Citizen Rules

09-27-17, 02:47 PM

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Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Producer: Roger Corman
Director: Jimmy T. Murakami
Writers: John Sayles (screenplay)
Cast: Richard Thomas, Darlanne Fluegel, George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, John Saxon
Genre: Action, Sci Fi

That poster says it all! 1980's Battle Beyond the Stars is B-movie producer Roger Corman's ode to Star Wars (1977)...ala rip off. Well, 'rip off' isn't really fair to say, because to Corman's credit he never claimed his movies weren't anything but inspired by the hits of the day.

And this film has Star Wars written all over it! So much so that any self respecting Star Wars fans owes it to themselves to see this cult classic. From the opening credits that uses Star Wars style 'jump to hyper drive' star shifting effects, to the sound effects, that one hears and sounds 'all to familiar'...to the story line:

Instead of Luke Skywalker, we have Shad of Akira. Shad's from a poor farming planet and takes an old run down space ship and gathers a fighting force to take on bad guy John Saxon, who's like Darth Vader without the helmet. The bad guy's ship is huge! and instead of a Death Star he has the Stellar Converter, that turns planets into stars, which is rather uncomfortable for the inhabits.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35586&stc=1&d=1506533972

Movie's tag line:
"Rebels. Outlaws. Mercenaries. Seven magnificent warriors join to fight the... Battle Beyond the Stars."

That's a nod to The Magnificent Seven (1960) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054047/), only this time it's set in space. It even has Robert Vaughn reprising his role from that movie. This time around the classic tale, which is based on the original Seven Samurai (1954), is done as a space adventure and rather low budget, but with a good dose of kitsch added in just for fun.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35585&stc=1&d=1506533965

See that weird looking orange ship? It's called Nell, and supposedly that's the first time a sci fi ship talks in a movie. That's what Richard Thomas said in an interview...I know HAL in 2001 talks of course, but Nell isn't just a ship's computer, but is the entire ship, a decidedly feminine ship. Take a look at the hull of Nell, does that look like anything you recognize?

And fun is the reason why you should watch this! It's fast paced, with some pretty darn good sci fi special effects being done on a shoe string budget of 3.5 million. Compare that to 11 million for Star Wars (1977). A BIG reason why the film looks as good as it does is because of a young Art Director working on those cool looking ships, James Cameron.

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Cowboy...a likable roguish smuggler from Earth, meets Shad, a green as hell farmer-boy from planet Akira. Check out Cowboy's accessory belt. There's no light saber hanging from it, instead it mixes drinks! and even dispenses ice.

Heading up the cast is a surprisingly likable and effective Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton) paired up with a pretty girl, ex model Darlanne Fluegel...they have good chemistry together. Add to that mix Robert Vaughn, John Saxon, George Peppard and a hot looking space babe, Sybil Danning, and you got yourself 104 minutes of spacial fun.

rating_2_5+++

Captain Steel

09-27-17, 03:39 PM

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I want to see this now that I know all the trivia behind it.
I remember passing it by several times decades ago just because it looked so schlocky.

Citizen Rules

09-27-17, 04:49 PM

I want to see this now that I know all the trivia behind it.
I remember passing it by several times decades ago just because it looked so schlocky.Sure the plot is thin, but there's lots of nice little touches that make this a fun popcorn flick:p

See that weird looking orange ship? It's called Nell, and supposedly that's the first time a sci fi ship talks in a movie. That's what Richard Thomas said in a interview...I know HAL talks of course, but Nell isn't just a ship's computer but is the entire ship and feminine too.
Take a look at the hull of Nell, does that look like anything you recognize?

I forgot to give Kudos to the music score! It's really beyond the movie itself as it's so grand. James Horner was just at the start of his career when he did this magnificent big sounding orchestra score that influenced a lot of other movies. You'll recognize it as he also did the score for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/?ref_=nm_flmg_com_146) and a bunch of other well known films too.

Oh, check out Cowboy's (George Peppard's) accessory belt. There's no light saber hanging from it. Instead it mixes drinks! and even dispenses ice:p

Captain Steel

09-27-17, 05:02 PM

Sure the plot is thin, but there's lots of nice little touches that make this a fun popcorn flick:p

See that weird looking orange ship? It's called Nell, and supposedly that's the first time a sci fi ship talks in a movie. That's what Richard Thomas said in a interview...I know HAL talks of course, but Nell isn't just a ship's computer but is the entire ship and feminine too.
Take a look at the hull of Nell, does that look like anything you recognize?

I forgot to give Kudos to the music score! It's really beyond the movie itself as it's so grand. James Horner was just at the start of his career when he did this magnificent big sounding orchestra score that influenced a lot of other movies. You'll recognize it as he also did the score for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084726/?ref_=nm_flmg_com_146) and a bunch of other well known films too.

Oh, check out Cowboy's (George Peppard's) accessory belt. There's no light saber hanging from it. Instead it mixes drinks! and even dispenses ice:p

It would probably be worth watching just for Sybil Danning.

Don't know if you ever saw any of the Lou Ferrigno Hercules movies (1983 & 1985) - they are awful... except for the women, and Sybil Danning steals the show in the first one.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/81/5e/10/815e1041d8cd14ea135f070fea04f53f.jpg

These Hercules movies wouldn't have been so bad if not for making every monster some weird, mechanical, Transformers-looking thing. That along with some of the "special effects" killed them. Otherwise, Ferrigno looked great (although his voice is dubbed), and the scantily clad, unbelievably beautiful women throughout both movies are the only redeeming features.

Citizen Rules

09-27-17, 05:09 PM

It would probably be worth watching just for Sybil Danning.

Don't know if you ever saw any of the Lou Ferrigno Hercules movies (1983 & 1985) - they are awful... except for the women, and Sybil Danning steals the show in the first one.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/81/5e/10/815e1041d8cd14ea135f070fea04f53f.jpg

These Hercules movies wouldn't have been so bad if not for making every monster some weird, mechanical, Transformers-looking thing. That along with some of the "special effects" killed them. Otherwise, Ferrigno looked great (although his voice is dubbed), and the scantily clad, unbelievably beautiful women throughout both movies are the only redeeming features.OH! I need to watch Hercules! Yeah she was hot in Battle Beyond the Stars. Richard Thomas said she kept popping out of her skimpy costume and they had to tape her in.

Joel

09-27-17, 05:11 PM

Captain Steel

09-27-17, 05:21 PM

Those 2 Hercules movies are so ridiculous that I hunch over laughing. I like the effects, too! Cool colors. Botch job masking but still zany and inspired and, oh yeah, breasts. Like Tina Turner said at the end of that Resilience panty hose commercial, "IIIIII Love it!!"

They do fall into the range of being "so bad, they're good." If MST3K was still around, those movies would make perfect fodder. I love when Ferrigno is fighting the great bear: stock footage of lone grizzly bear, then Ferrigno fighting a guy in a really bad fur suit, then stock footage of the grizzly again by itself, then Ferrigno fighting guy in suit - then Lou hurls a stuffed teddy bear doll into space forming the constellation Ursa Major!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXeBhFzqzfY

Citizen Rules

09-27-17, 10:37 PM

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Girlfriends (1978)

Director: Claudia Weill
Writers: Claudia Weill & Vicki Polon
Cast: Melanie Mayron, Anita Skinner, Eli Wallach, Adam Cohen
Genre: Drama Comedy

A simple tale of a young New York City woman (Melanie Mayron) struggling to make ends meet as a photographer...And her best friend (Anita Skinner) who shares her apartment. When her roommate leaves to get married she is stuck without enough money and finds her married friend no longer has time for her.

Stanley Kurbrick in an interview said of Girlfriends, “I think one of the most interesting American films...that I’ve seen in a long time is Claudia Weill’s ‘Girlfriends.’ That film, I thought, was one of the very rare American films that I would compare with the serious, intelligent, sensitive writing and filmmaking that you find in the best directors in Europe.”

I should have liked this film better, but I was luke warm on it. For me it took over 30 minutes to get a handle on the characters personalities and where the film was taking them. That's a long time to warm up to the film. I did warm up to it, but not completely as it's not a 'nice looking' film cinematographiclly speaking. The film is composed of mostly close focused interior shots. The actors faces fill the frame, which gave the film a claustrophobic look. There's very few shots that tell a story with their composition, this is a dialogue heavy film, composition and camera work isn't it's strong point.

At times the film felt choppy in the scene edits. Which I suppose is OK for the 'you are there' feeling that the film goes for. And it that aspect it feels like we're there listing in on the conversations of two real people. The problem was I didn't really care about the lead character played by Melanie Mayron. I liked her in small doses in other movies, but not so much as a lead.

But if you like 'honest cinema', whatever that means...then this seldom seen film should be a treat.

rating_3

gbgoodies

09-28-17, 01:41 AM

Joel

09-28-17, 10:45 AM

They do fall into the range of being "so bad, they're good." If MST3K was still around, those movies would make perfect fodder. I love when Ferrigno is fighting the great bear: stock footage of lone grizzly bear, then Ferrigno fighting a guy in a really bad fur suit, then stock footage of the grizzly again by itself, then Ferrigno fighting guy in suit - then Lou hurls a stuffed teddy bear doll into space forming the constellation Ursa Major!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXeBhFzqzfY

SHOUT FACTORY just released both of these on blu ray. We should all watch them and review them. You, Citizen Rules and myself.

Gideon58

09-28-17, 03:14 PM

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Vacation (2015)

Directors:John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein
Cast: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Skyler Gisondo, Steele Stebbins
Genre: Comedy Farce
Rating: R
Length: 99 minutes

Too bad this movie mainly gets it's kicks from the gutter.

rating_2

It's ironic that this film is centered on a grown up Rusty Griswold since in the Chevy Chase movies, Rusty never ages and is played by a different actor in all four films.

Gideon58

09-28-17, 03:18 PM

Citizen Rules

09-28-17, 05:17 PM

From what you've said about this movie, it sounds pretentious and boring. I personally wouldn't say the movie was pretentious, as they don't talk about anything high-falutin...but I don't think you would like it. I was luke warm to it myself. But still a good film.

Citizen Rules

09-29-17, 02:57 PM

I haven't seen Battle Beyond the Stars, and I like both Richard Thomas and Robert Vaughn, but I don't think I've ever seen John Saxon in anything good. Ha, yup...John Saxon wasn't known for being in great movies. If you like Star Wars and I know you'll do, you might get a kick out of seeing a 'take on it'...

Citizen Rules

09-29-17, 04:16 PM

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While the City Sleeps (1956)
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Casey Robinson (screenplay), Charles Einstein (novel)
Cast: Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Sally Forrest, John Barrymore Jr.
Genre: Drama

"A serial killer has been killing beautiful women in New York, and the new owner of a media company offers a high ranking job to the 1st administrator who can get the earliest scoops on the case."

Not a Film-Noir, 1956's While The City Sleeps, is a slick and sophisticated story of cut throat newspaper men and women, who are using a serial killer murders to promote their own careers in the news business. The movie is like a cross between The Front Page (1931) and a Douglas Sirk movie...the result is an in-depth study of the inter relationships between a half dozen people, some who are really do to anything to get ahead in the news business.

Director Fritz Lang called this his favorite of the movies he made in America. Sadly it doesn't always get the respect it deserves as many people watch it expecting a dark gritty film noir, and that's just not what the film is about...it's technically a melodrama that's meant to look and feel real.

Part of the problem was in the marketing. Look at those two posters side by side at the top of this review. The one on the left clearly gives the impression that this is a edgy film noir, while the one on the left is much more in tune with the movie. Regardless of the posters, this is an excellent movie, and so complex in it's inter connection between the characters that it takes a second or even third viewing to appreciate the genius that is this film.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35736&stc=1&d=1506711234

What a talented cast of actors! Left to right:

Vincent Price is the rich playboy who inherits the newspaper service and pits three of his employees against each other with a promise of a promotion for the one who gets the biggest scoop...and a sack for the slacker. Price is born to play this role.

Rhonda Fleming looks stunning! She's the loveless wife of Vincent Price who might be fooling around behind his back. She makes the perfect cold beauty.

Sally Forest who also starred in Mystery Street, is the good girl and fiance of newspaper man Dana Andrews. She balances the sleeze factor with her squeaky clean image.

George Sanders well, he's George Sanders! as always a joy to watch.

Ida Lupino, aptly plays a woman newsman who's just as cut throat as the boys, even more so.

Dana Andrews, good guy news anchor, who isn't as faithful to his fiance as he should be. Dana always likable, and plays one helluva a drunk too.

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Driving all of this newspaper backstabbing and attention grabbing is a real serial killer on the loose, played by John Barrymore Jr. Drew Barrymore's dad. He's the young psycho who is dubbed the 'lipstick murder' by the press. Based on a real serial killer, the news man are looking to get a scoop on this hot story, going so far as to use a young woman as bait, to catch the desperate killer.

While the City Sleeps is one of my favorite Fritz Lang movies.

rating_4

edarsenal

09-29-17, 07:26 PM

have not seen, or even heard of this one, but, yeah, just by the cast alone, it looks like a very good movie to see.
Definitely will be putting this on watchlist. THANKS CR!

Citizen Rules

09-29-17, 07:28 PM

have not seen, or even heard of this one, but, yeah, just by the cast alone, it looks like a very good movie to see.
Definitely will be putting this on watchlist. THANKS CR!I'd be surprised if it didn't show up on the countdown. Of course when it does, you know what I'll say:p

edarsenal

09-29-17, 08:28 PM

just looked, it wasn't on the 50's Countdown, making it more of a lost gem

Citizen Rules

09-29-17, 08:38 PM

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Madame Bovary (2014)

Director: Sophie Barthes
Writers: Felipe Marino & Sophie Barthes (screenplay) Gustave Flaubert (novel)
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Ezra Miller, Paul Giamatti
Genre: Literary Drama

"Bored with her marriage to a simply country doctor and stifled by life in a small country town, the restless Emma Bovary pursues her dreams of passion and excitement, with lavish spending and affairs."

Madam Bovary is based on the classic 1856 French novel by famed author Gustave Flaubert and is directed by a relative newcomer to film, Sophie Barthes. The director takes great care at creating the right atmosphere for a story that takes place among the French nobility in the middle of the 19th century.

Perhaps because the director is a woman there's a genuine focus on the personal limitations of Madame Bovary's life and the few choices that are open to a woman living in France in the mid 19th century. The director also contributed to the screenplay.

It's visually done well without ever going over the top. The same can be said for the script and directing it's all masterfully controlled, just like the controlled world of a rural French village in the mid 1800s. While I never read the novel, I get the feeling that the movie stays true to the novel's intent.

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The production values are top notch with beautiful period piece costumes and sets, that help to take the viewer back to a different time.

Mia Wasikowska, has starred in many a period piece film, five in total. She's wonderful in this as she stays within character and never lets us know she's actually a 21st woman. Same goes for all the actors, who control their vocal tones and body language and truly fit into Madam Bovary's world.

rating_3_5++

gbgoodies

09-30-17, 02:08 AM

Ha, yup...John Saxon wasn't known for being in great movies. If you like Star Wars and I know you'll do, you might get a kick out of seeing a 'take on it'...

I trust your opinion, so I added it to my watchlist. I don't have high expectations for it, but it won't be the first crappy John Saxon movie that I've watched, and I'm sure it won't be the last either. :lol:

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35735&stc=1&d=1506711215

While the City Sleeps (1956)
Director: Fritz Lang
Writers: Casey Robinson (screenplay), Charles Einstein (novel)
Cast: Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Sally Forrest, John Barrymore Jr.
Genre: Drama

rating_4

I thought I saw While the City Sleeps when I was watching movies for the 1950s countdown because I watched a bunch of Dana Andrews movies, but it doesn't sound familiar, so I added it to my watchlist.

Citizen Rules

09-30-17, 07:36 PM

...I thought I saw While the City Sleeps when I was watching movies for the 1950s countdown because I watched a bunch of Dana Andrews movies, but it doesn't sound familiar, so I added it to my watchlist.If you like Dana Andrews you should really like him in While the City Sleeps, he has a plum role. Vincent Price is also in it, but he doesn't get much air time. Though he and George Sanders make good use of what screen time they do have. I thought it was a pretty good film.

Citizen Rules

09-30-17, 08:22 PM

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The Great Gatsby (1974)

Director: Jack Clayton
Writers: Francis Ford Coppola(screenplay), F. Scott Fitzgerald(novel)
Cast: Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Bruce Dern, Karen Black
Genre: Drama, Romance

1974's The Great Gatsby is one of five films based on the classic 1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The first was a 1926 silent film, now lost. Then came Hollywood's attempt in 1949, a movie that I reviewed and found dismal. After this version, came a TV movie in 2000 and then the big budget Leonardo DiCaprio film in 2013. This 1974 version features two huge stars of the day, Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.

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The screen play is credited to Francis Ford Coppola, who replaced Truman Capote. Interesting though Coppola himself says not much of his script made it into production:

On his commentary track for the DVD release of The Godfather, Coppola refers to writing the Gatsby script, adding "Not that the director paid any attention to it. The script that I wrote did not get made."

The Great Gatsby (1974), is full of beautiful mansions and beautiful breezy costumes...and full of extras doing the Charleston. It looks great. In a way it's a film that's all dressed up and waiting for a spark to make it go...but that spark never comes.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35806&stc=1&d=1506812783

Of course it's a poignantly sad story based on one of the 20th century beloved classics by F. Scott Fitzgerald...But boy did this film fall flat, mainly do to Robert Redford who's as wooden as can be in this. According to an interview with Mia Farrow, the pair had no chemistry as he spent every minute he could watching the unfolding Water Gate crisis on TV and so was emotionally un-invested in the film.

Mia Farrow as Daisy, was more spacey as in a space cadet...than a haughty near-do-well beauty. When combined with a wooden Robert Redford, nothing much happens with the couple. Sam Waterson was a bit better but the only main actors worth their chops was Bruce Dern and Karen Black. Watch this one for the glamorous sets.

rating_2_5

edarsenal

09-30-17, 08:34 PM

Citizen Rules

09-30-17, 08:44 PM

I've enjoyed everything I've seen with Mia so far and I'm sure she'd be excellent in such a film as Madame Bovary. Will have to check it out.
and, in case you ask, seen her in Defiance, the two Alice movies, Lawless, Crimson Peak and Only Lovers Left Alive.
I remember seeing The Great Gatsby as a kid on TV and thinking it was very, very slow and throughout the years thought I'd try again to understand and to see what I missed from the edited version on TV. I kind of wonder now.Ha, I'm reading your post, and I'm thinking to myself, Mia Farrow was in Only Lovers Left Alive???...then it hit me, it's the other Mia. Yea she's been great in everything I've seen her in. Of those movies, I've only seen Defiance. Did you like the Jarmusch film?

edarsenal

09-30-17, 10:52 PM

which Jarmusch film? The one with Mia Farrow? Yeah, it's awesome

:D

but, yeah, OLLA is actually my favorite of Jarmusch. If you remember we had talked about how I've considered nominating it for a HoF and haven't

Gideon58

10-01-17, 02:55 PM

Citizen Rules

10-01-17, 08:39 PM

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The Old Dark House (1963)

Producer: William Castle
Director: William Castle
Writers: Robert Dillon (screenplay), J.B. Priestley (book)
Cast: Tom Poston, Robert Morley, Janette Scott, Fenella Fielding
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Mystery

Hammer films and William Castle teamed up in 1963 to deliver a dark-comedy, horror-mystery remake of the original The Old Dark House (1932)....This 1963 version has little in common with the original film, except the creepy old house.

The creepy house is real and is known as Oakley Court in Berkshire, UK. Probably best known for being used in The Rocky Horror Picture Show....The movie was produced at Pine Studio and on location in England, UK. The film looks great. The sets are a real joy to look at. They're well dressed out with rich details that add a lot of ambiance to the movie. I spent a lot of time just studying all the details that were put into each room, the house is the main star! But there's more...

The other star is American Tom Postman who plays an American who unwittingly stumbles into the house and meets a very eccentric family living there. The catch is they can't leave the house at night.
Much to Tom Postman's distress, the family is murdering each other off, so that the sole survivor can inherit a large fortunate....and they think he's in on it!

A fine cast of British actors make up the Femm family: Robert Morley, Joyce Grenfell, Mervyn Johns, and Peter Bull. All are colorfully good. Then there's the two nieces, the pretty Janette Scott and a great performance by the comically slinky Fenella Fielding.

If you've seen Clue (1985) you'll have a good idea of what this film is like. I enjoyed it, I call it family-horror, and the various ways people get knocked off is part of the comic horror fun. Not to be missed is the uncle and his recreation of Noah's Ark, stocked with real animals!...and with a spot for two breeding humans! Tom Post and one of the ladies, oh my!

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35888&stc=1&d=1506901373

Two women, who've not been out of the old house in ages, have their eyes on the newcomer Tom Postman. Hmmm, which one will he favor and which one will try to kill him?

Another fine William Castle film.
rating_3_5

Citizen Rules

10-01-17, 10:48 PM

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Punchline (1988)

Director: David Seltzer
Writer: David Seltzer
Cast: Sally Field, Tom Hanks, John Goodman
Genre: Comedy Drama

A hard look at the behind the scenes life of stand up comedians as they try to make it into the big time, by getting discovered at a New York comedy club.

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Tom Hanks is a wildly funny, as an up and coming young comedian who's flunked out of medical school and is so broke his roommate has locked him out of his own apartment. Both his dad and brother are successful doctors and he hasn't the guts to tell them he's working as a stand up comic, knowing they will take a dim view of it.

Tom Hanks was extremely good in this as a talented comic with a self destructive streak. His comedy performances give us an insight into why the real Tom Hanks became such a big comic star. Fellow stand up comedian Chris Rock called Hanks the funniest stand up act he'd seen. And we get to see it too! and that's alone is worth the price of admission.

But there's more, there's the darker side, when he breaks down on stage after spotting his estranged father in the audience. Oscar worthy performance. Though my favorite scene was on the night of the big competition when he's outside of the comedy club heckling the judges with a bull horn as they enter the club. The same judges who will later be judging the comedy routines.

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Sally Fields is the other big draw here. She's a house wife married to John Goodman, a man who doesn't understand why she must leave the house and her three children to go and perform comedy. And she's not skilled at it, but is driven to keep trying.

There's a lot of tension in their scenes together and Sally Fields was made do to this type of acting. She brings balance to the movie. I liked her too. I wasn't so onboard with the idea that Tom Hanks character would fall in love with her. But still overall, a unique movie and one I really enjoyed.

rating_3_5++

Joel

10-02-17, 10:35 AM

I'm due to see this again, Punchline. Nice review, as always!

Gideon58

10-02-17, 10:49 AM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35903&stc=1&d=1506907538

Punchline (1988)

Director: David Seltzer
Writer: David Seltzer
Cast: Sally Field, Tom Hanks, John Goodman
Genre: Comedy Drama

So thrilled to see your review of this movie, Citizen...possibly my favorite Hanks performance, overshadowed by the release of Big he same year. Love your review, glad you loved the film as much as I do.

Citizen Rules

10-02-17, 01:43 PM

So thrilled to see your review of this movie, Citizen...possibly my favorite Hanks performance, overshadowed by the release of Big he same year. Love your review, glad you loved the film as much as I do. You know how I can tell if I really like a movie? By how much I check the time while watching it. I never checked the time at all while watching Punchline. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I still need to see Big, I've never seen it.

Joel

10-02-17, 01:50 PM

Citizen Rules

10-02-17, 01:52 PM

I recommend the directors extended cut of BigThanks Joel. I'll have to finish up my John Candy filmography, then move onto Tom Hanks. There's a lot of Hanks movies I've never seen, besides the aforementioned Big.

Captain Steel

10-02-17, 02:22 PM

You know how I can tell if I really like a movie? By how much I check the time while watching it. I never checked the time at all while watching Punchline. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I still need to see Big, I've never seen it.

Big is a fun movie!

Citizen Rules

10-02-17, 02:26 PM

Big fun?

Captain Steel

10-02-17, 02:54 PM

Big fun?

In a Big way!
Notably, recently deceased actor John Heard (1946 - 2017) plays the movie's "jerk."
And the great Robert Loggia (1930 - 2015), instead of playing a mobster, has a memorable and loveable role.

Hope this isn't considered a "spoiler" but everyone who's seen the movie remembers the piano scene with Hanks and Loggia...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF7-rz9nIn4

Citizen Rules

10-02-17, 11:07 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35961&stc=1&d=1506995723
Sunset Song (2015)
Director: Terence Davies
Writers: Lewis Grassic Gibbon (novel), Terence Davies (screenplay)
Cast: Peter Mullan, Mark Bonnar, Agyness Deyn
Genre: Period Piece Drama

"The daughter of a Scottish farmer comes of age in the early 1900s."

Sunset Song is a stunningly beautiful to look at, visual film, with slow reflective scenes bathed in a warm amber light....Like the embers of a warm fire on a winter's day, the appeal is in the ambiance of the heartwarming illusion.

The story is based on a novel, written for the screen by the director Terence Davies. It covers the life of a young woman in rural Scotland in the 19th century and the hardships she must endure. This story idea is promising and is usually the epic life story that transcribes well to the big screen.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35962&stc=1&d=1506995729

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35963&stc=1&d=1506995737

It's too bad that all of the film's promise is cursed with a hackneyed script that trouts out two dimensional characters of the most overused film tropes. From the abusive father who belonged in a Disney cartoon to the transformation of the loving husband to evil bastard in a heartbeat, reeked of a poorly written script.

The actors themselves were fine, especially the actress who plays the lead, Agyness Deyn...But this film has nowhere to go and all that visual beauty can't save what is efficiently a hack writing job. Another trip through the editing room might have trimmed off the fat and tightened the film up.

As it is I give Sunset Song a:
rating_2_5

edarsenal

10-03-17, 12:45 AM

looks very much like a beautiful film, sorry to hear the substance is rehashed and lacking.

Gideon58

10-03-17, 11:49 AM

I haven't seen Battle Beyond the Stars, and I like both Richard Thomas and Robert Vaughn, but I don't think I've ever seen John Saxon in anything good.

LOL!!!

Citizen Rules

10-03-17, 11:13 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35984&stc=1&d=1507082822
Certain Women (2016)

Director: Kelly Reichardt
Writers: Kelly Reichardt (screenplay by), Maile Meloy (story)
Cast: Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern
Genre: Anthology Drama

This had no story, no plot....and if those things are important to you, I doubt you would like it...But I enjoyed it.

I thought this indie film was fresh and different. It's totally laid back film making, without the usual fancy cinema tricks, glorious orchestral sound track or spoon-feed emotions. I call it honest film making, and it's not for everyone.

Director, editor, writer Kelly Reichardt (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716980?ref_=tt_ov_dr) known for her previous films Meeks Cutoff & Wendy and Lucy, gets up close and personal, as we follow three women who live in rural Montana. The movie is an anthology of their three different stories. Shown consecutively, no flash backs or inter-cuts (which is also refreshing.)

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35985&stc=1&d=1507082831

There's cinematic drama in the first one with Laura Dern as a lawyer who has a disgruntled and dangerous client. That's the most accessible story for a general audience.

The second one with Michelle Williams shows a family with some tensions. I didn't care for this one as much, but in another way this one seemed like watching someones real life. So that's cool.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=35986&stc=1&d=1507082839

The third was quietly odd with Kristen Stewart as a overworked law graduate who takes on a teaching assignment that requires her to commute 8 hours round trip. Lily Gladstone is a curious young woman who shows up unannounced in her class. She's a ranch hand who follows Kristen around town and seems to want something. Why? I don't know.

There's no answers in Certain Women, only observations, thank goodness.

rating_3_5++

Citizen Rules

10-05-17, 01:37 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36029&stc=1&d=1507167144

Strait-Jacket (1964)
Director: William Castle
Producer: William Castle
Writer: Robert Bloch
Cast: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson
Genre: Horror

What's better than crazy Joan Crawford wielding an axe?

Lucy Habin (Joan Crawford) returns home after twenty years in an insane asylum for commenting a double ax murder. With her cheating husband and girlfriend as the unfortunate victims who lost their heads. Once Lucy is back staying with her brother and his wife, she meets the daughter she never knew...then all hell breaks lose!

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36049&stc=1&d=1507221400

Horror king William Castle strikes a match and ignites a strange brew of ax beheading horror, with one of the screens most dramatic actresses and combines it with a dash of unintentional camp to give us Straight-Jacket.

William Castle said he watched Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? 17 times as he was that impressed with it. His goal was to make a horror film with A list talent. For that he hired the writer of Psycho Robert Bloch and got the co star from Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?....Joan Crawford.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36047&stc=1&d=1507221316

What results is one helluva fun movie, thanks to Joan giving it her all. She pours her emotions into her character and might have been nominate for an Oscar if she hadn't been in a horror film. Joan is everything you ever though she was, and more! Add to that a cutesy Diane Baker, who plays her estranged daughter Carol, and might not be as sweet as she seems and you get the makings for a classic camp horror film.

rating_3_5++

Gideon58

10-06-17, 05:45 PM

[CENTER]https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36029&stc=1&d=1507167144

Strait-Jacket (1964)
[LEFT]Director: William Castle
Producer: William Castle
Writer: Robert Bloch
Cast: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson
Genre: Horror

Never really had any interest in watching this because I'm not a big horror fan and it just struck me as an attempt to cash in on the Baby Jane mania, but your review makes this movie sound like cheesy fun, Citizen and I might give it a shot.

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 01:49 PM

http://annyas.com/screenshots/images/2001/man-who-wasnt-there-blu-ray-movie-title-large.jpg
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Neo Noir

"A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong."

This is stunning film work! Visually the use of shadows and high key lighting, silhouettes and Dutch angles, wide overhead shots and deep focus...are all here and done to a level of sublime. This film should be used to train new directors in the art of lighting.

http://mblogthumb3.phinf.naver.net/20160506_122/yessok104_1462526150764I7Ow7_JPEG/man-who-wasnt-1.jpg?type=w2

Billy Bob Thorton was one of the coolest-odd characters to ever grace a film noir. Damn he made this movie...with his deliberately stoic acting and his taunt face of stone...Then there's his remorseful, yet downtrodden voice over narrative. The narrative itself, is a thing of beauty, both in the way the lines are delivered and by the pulp philosophy that rings truer then most films would ever aspire to say.

This is a slow paced film with long scene length, smooth and even editing between the scene transactions. The Coen brothers even have the genius to let the screen go black for a few seconds, in between major acts.

https://i1.wp.com/cdn.theatlantic.com/assets/media/img/mt/2014/09/The_Man_Who_Wasnt_There/lead_large.png?resize=474%2C292

I thought this would be a 5/5 and be added to my top 10. But true to Coen's style they go a little over the top with the UFO lady and the ending goes a little loose and broad. Still I can't complain as that's what the Coen's are known for, and I guess that's what you call an auteur's stamp.

rating_4++

seanc

10-07-17, 03:28 PM

Glad you liked it so much CR. Under rated Coen flick.

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 04:17 PM

Glad you liked it so much CR. Under rated Coen flick. I'm still working on watching all the Coen's films. Not sure which one will be next, or when?

Gideon58

10-07-17, 04:31 PM

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 04:35 PM

Great review Citizen. I think you rated this film a little higher than I did, but it's hard to argue with anything you've said here...it's a great film, your review almost makes me want to re-visit.I haven't been the biggest fan of the Coen's in the past, but there's no denying there genius when it comes to the look and style of their films.

Yam12

10-07-17, 04:41 PM

http://annyas.com/screenshots/images/2001/man-who-wasnt-there-blu-ray-movie-title-large.jpg
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
[SIZE=4][FONT=Georgia][SIZE=3]Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, Michael Badalucco, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Neo Noir

rating_4++

Nice to see that you liked this. I would be interested in seeing how you'd rank the Coens' filmography since you mentioned that you aren't as big of a fan of them as most people

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 04:54 PM

Nice to see that you liked this. I would be interested in seeing how you'd rank the Coens' filmography since you mentioned that you aren't as big of a fan of them as most people Sure Yam, here ya go....

I've only seen these, so far...

Hail, Caesar!rating_3_5 I love old Hollwood so really liked the nod to the good ole days of musicals. If I watched this again, it would probably be rated even higher....My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1564902#post1564902)

True Grit I don't remember much about this, I thought it was OK, but for me any reboot is hard to like, and I did like the John Wayne version, so that colored my opinion.

The Big Lebowski rating_2_5 I didn't care for this, maybe a rewatch would help. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1429424#post1429424)

The Hudsucker Proxy I liked it, but it's been so long I can't rate it.

Barton Fink, rating_4 I just watched this for the second time and was blown away by it. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1769326#post1769326)

Yam12

10-07-17, 04:57 PM

Sure Yam, here ya go....

I've only seen these, so far...

Hail, Caesar!rating_3_5 I love old Hollwood so really liked the nod to the good ole days of musicals. If I watched this again, it would probably be rated even higher....My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1564902#post1564902)

True Grit I don't remember much about this, I thought it was OK, but for me any reboot is hard to like, and I did like the John Wayne version, so that colored my opinion.

The Big Lebowski rating_2_5 I didn't care for this, maybe a rewatch would help. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1429424#post1429424)

The Hudsucker Proxy I liked it, but it's been so long I can't rate it.
Barton Fink, rating_4 I just watched this for the second time and was blown away by it. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1769326#post1769326)

Shame you didn't like Lebowski. Definitely look into rewatching that. While you do that, also check out Fargo and No Country for Old Men. Those are definitely two of their best

Velvet

10-07-17, 05:24 PM

Think you might like blood simple, never got to finish it because my download was messed up but I saw a good amount and I think you would enjoy it. Maybe barton fink too.

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 06:15 PM

Think you might like blood simple, never got to finish it because my download was messed up but I saw a good amount and I think you would enjoy it. Maybe barton fink too.Yup, I gave Barton Fink a 4/5 It's a nom in the 14th Hof. Great film.

edarsenal

10-07-17, 06:16 PM

this is a Coen flick I am completely unfamiliar with, will have to check it out. Loved your analysis of the lighting and filming technique.

Citizen Rules

10-07-17, 06:20 PM

this is a Coen flick I am completely unfamiliar with, will have to check it out. Loved your analysis of the lighting and filming technique.Let me know how you like the movie when you watch it.

edarsenal

10-07-17, 07:12 PM

Let me know how you like the movie when you watch it.

will do!!

Citizen Rules

10-08-17, 10:22 PM

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w780/6t4jqCok1yGBn7z7CKlCsWsjoNX.jpg
Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Jake LaMotta (based book), Joseph Carter
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty
Genre: Biography, Drama

This is one of those highly acclaimed classics, that somehow I'd never seen before...until the other night that is. I really knew nothing about it other than it was about a boxer, which is a plus as I usually like boxing movies. Right off the bat I see this is done in black & white, which to me is another plus. Then I realize this is about a real boxer, Jake LaMotta. Bio Pics set in period pieces is just the type of films I usually love.

So I should have loved this, but I was bored to tears. Say what you will about critiquing styles, ultimately for me a film works or not if it can hold me attention, and this didn't. I wanted to shut it off after 15 minutes but figured any movie this respected most get better, for me it never did.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36236&stc=1&d=1507512502

I didn't hate it, even worse I felt nothing, no emotions, zip. I've never been a fan of Robert DeNiro and here he didn't relay any emotions to me other than he was paranoid and even that wasn't really explored, not in any deeper way.

But maybe that's not his fault as Scorsese does his attempt at European New Wave cinema here, so I'd say the lack of story or character development is intentional on Scorsese's part.

To me it felt like I was watching parts of a movie with the connecting scenes gone. Snippets of a film...Jake's first wife disappears from the film without a trace. His second wife, reminded me of Kim Novak but without any of her inner qualities. She was the worst written & performed character in the movie. Joe Pesci was the best, he seemed inspired and alive.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36237&stc=1&d=1507512509

I expected some character arcs to take place with the dissolving marriage as the backdrop in which to show us how Jake's personality destroys everything...but that is never really done. Yea, I did get the idea of the film and what Scorsese was showing and it failed me.

I thought the boxing scenes were boring and usually those are the best part of a boxing film. The copious amounts of blood spraying out of the boxers head, reminded me of something from a Monty Python movie. I mean it's a nozzle spraying the entire audience, it's kind of funny, though I don't think that was the intention.

rating_2

seanc

10-08-17, 10:49 PM

Citizen Rules

10-08-17, 11:03 PM

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/1697629/739full-thirty-day-princess-screenshot.jpg
Thirty Day Princess (1934)

Director: Marion Gering
Writers: Preston Sturges & Frank Partos
Cast: Sylvia Sidney, Cary Grant, Edward Arnold
Genre: Romantic Comedy

"A European princess arrives in New York City to secure a much-needed loan for her country. She contracts the mumps, and an actress who looks exactly like her is hired to impersonate her."

What a lovely film! The screenplay is by Preston Sturges and it's very well written, each scene sparkles with life and charm...and with the Sturges wit. Seven years later in The Lady Eve (1941), Preston Sturges would again write & direct a similar duality film with the lead actress playing two different characters that wins the heart of the leading man.

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36240&stc=1&d=1507513945

Thirty Day Princess is a very early Cary Grant film and he plays a character a little different than what we're use to. Unlike Cary's later films where he's light and flippant, here he's more serious but still has that dapper charm.

Sylvia Sidney who's adorable in this, has top billing. Sadly today not many know of her but she's one of my favorite actresses from the 1930s. She's very expressive in her acting and able to draw the viewer into her character. She's skilled at both drama and comedy. And here she get's to do both as she plays two characters. A European Princess and and American shop keeper girl who just happens to look like the Princess.

Thirty Day Princess is a romantic light comedy with a storyline that is lively, I really enjoyed this.

rating_4

Citizen Rules

10-08-17, 11:09 PM

Lord, maybe the hardest rep I have given on the site. You owe me a Godfather watch for this damnit! ;)

Seriously though your no emotion comment reminded me of how I felt watching Aguirre. I expected to love it or hate it. Instead...nothing.Ha... yup, Godfather will be coming up...I'm sure I'll like it, I have seen bits on TV before. That and Taxi Driver will be watched as soon as I catch up on all of my other movies.

Thanks for the rep bro, it will probably be the only one I get for that review:cool:

Velvet

10-08-17, 11:13 PM

citizen start watching 70s movie, or else :willem:

seanc

10-08-17, 11:20 PM

Ha... yup, Godfather will be coming up...I'm sure I'll like it, I have seen bits on TV before. That and Taxi Driver will be watched as soon as I catch up on all of my other movies.

Thanks for the rep bro, it will probably be the only one I get for that review:cool:

When you made that post yesterday about hating a 70's film I thought it was going to be Dog Day.

Citizen Rules

10-08-17, 11:25 PM

When you made that post yesterday about hating a 70's film I thought it was going to be Dog Day.I thought, you thought, it would be The Godfather.

Dog Day, have not seen that one. I'm not that well watched on 1970s movies as you can see, but I'll have to catch it some time.

Citizen Rules

10-08-17, 11:26 PM

citizen start watching 70s movie, or else :willem:That's funny, cause I just typed my post to Sean and then seen your post...Twilight Zone:cool:

Gideon58

10-09-17, 07:06 PM

Gideon58

10-09-17, 07:08 PM

Sure Yam, here ya go....

I've only seen these, so far...

Hail, Caesar!rating_3_5 I love old Hollwood so really liked the nod to the good ole days of musicals. If I watched this again, it would probably be rated even higher....My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1564902#post1564902)

True Grit I don't remember much about this, I thought it was OK, but for me any reboot is hard to like, and I did like the John Wayne version, so that colored my opinion.

The Big Lebowski rating_2_5 I didn't care for this, maybe a rewatch would help. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1429424#post1429424)

The Hudsucker Proxy I liked it, but it's been so long I can't rate it.

Barton Fink, rating_4 I just watched this for the second time and was blown away by it. My review (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1769326#post1769326)

True Grit is worth watching for Jeff Bridnes' performance alone and I highly recommend a re-watch of The Hudsucker Proxy...there's a review of it in my thread somewhere.

Gideon58

10-09-17, 07:12 PM

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-90abb622a6eac6be8ac426b19b656c88
Raging Bull (1980)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Jake LaMotta (based book), Joseph Carter
Cast: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty
Genre: Biography, Drama

[LEFT]This is one of those highly acclaimed classics, that somehow I'd never seen before...until the other night that is. I really knew nothing about it other than it was about a boxer, which is a plus as I usually like boxing movies. Right off the bat I see this is done in black & white, which to me is a huge plus. Then I realize this is about a real boxer, Jake LaMotta. Bio Pics set in period pieces is just the type of films I usually love.

So I should have loved this, but I was bored to tears. Say what you will about critiquing styles, ultimately for me a film works or not, if it can hold me attention, and this didn't. I wanted to shut it off after 15 minutes but figured any movie this respected most get better, for me it never did.

[CENTER]https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=36236&stc=1&d=1507512502

So sorry you didn't like this one, Citizen, but I appreciate the honesty of your review. I only saw it for the first time last year, and even though I liked it a lot, I am one of the few people who doesn't think it deserved Best Picture over Ordinary People. De Niro's Oscar win was richly deserved though and Cathy Moriarty seemed a little old for her role, but I found it a pretty solid sports/biopic. I wrote a review of it.

rauldc14

10-09-17, 09:44 PM

I will agree Raging Bull is overrated.

TheUsualSuspect

10-09-17, 10:31 PM

I also found Raging Bull to be overrated, maybe I need to give it another watch, but I wasn't a big fan.

rauldc14

10-09-17, 10:33 PM

The Departed is better. Mean Streets is better. Goodfellas is better. The Aviator is better. After Hours is better. Taxi Driver is better.

Most of Scorseses films are better.

Citizen Rules

10-09-17, 10:40 PM

The Departed is better. Mean Streets is better. Goodfellas is better. The Aviator is better. After Hours is better. Taxi Driver is better.

Most of Scorseses films are better.Yeah I liked Goodfellas much better than Raging Bull and The Aviator is near perfect for me. Haven't seen the rest.

This is what I've seen from Scorsese
Hugo (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_9)
Shutter Island (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130884/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_14)
The Aviator (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338751/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_19)
Gangs of New York (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0217505/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_23)
Casino (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112641/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_29)
Goodfellas (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_36)
The Last Temptation of Christ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095497/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_39)
The Color of Money (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_41)
Raging Bull (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081398/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_45)

I've pretty much liked them all, except The Color of Money and Raging Bull.

rauldc14

10-09-17, 10:42 PM

You need to see After Hours and The Departed ASAP

TheUsualSuspect

10-09-17, 10:53 PM

After Hours is such an underrated film in general. I really enjoyed the torment the main character went through throughout the night.

Citizen Rules

10-09-17, 11:02 PM

You need to see After Hours and The Departed ASAP Sean says I need to see Godfather ASAP:p

After Hours is such an underrated film in general. I really enjoyed the torment the main character went through throughout the night. Hmmm, well you both agree on that film. Yeah I probably catch it sometime. I'm thinking Taxi Driver or King of Comedy next up.

Captain Steel

10-09-17, 11:56 PM

Sean says I need to see Godfather ASAP:p

Hmmm, well you both agree on that film. Yeah I probably catch it sometime. I'm thinking Taxi Driver or King of Comedy next up.

Just a suggestion, but try watching Taxi Driver and King of Comedy in proximity to each other (not back to back or anything). I only say that because both have DeNiro in the lead role and over the years I've come to see them as strange book ends (not sure if that's even a correct term for this situation).

Although they are two very different movies and different stories, they do bear some weird similarities. The main characters are both outsiders whose view of reality plays out much inside their own heads (although one is much darker than the other). I even find the somewhat unexpected endings to be similar in a way.

seanc

10-10-17, 12:19 AM

If you like After Hours better than Raging Bull I will lose my mind. Up to you, but that's on your concious.

edarsenal

10-10-17, 12:33 AM

edarsenal

10-10-17, 12:37 AM

Captain Steel

10-10-17, 01:12 AM

I actually had trouble with After Hours. I SHOULD have enjoyed it; there was everything there I would normally have, but I didn't. A rewatch may be in order, but that'll be some time in the future.

and, wait a minute -- you haven't seen The Godfather?!?!

shame on you

Careful, Rules might think it's worse than Airplane!
I really tried to ruin it for him by telling him to watch the Godfather Epic (where they splice I and II together - putting all the scenes in chronological order).

gbgoodies

10-10-17, 02:01 AM

rauldc14

10-10-17, 10:42 AM

If you like After Hours better than Raging Bull I will lose my mind. Up to you, but that's on your concious.

After Hours is wayyyyy better.

seanc

10-10-17, 10:59 AM

After Hours is wayyyyy better.

I lost you a long time ago. Citizen still has a chance. ;)

rauldc14

10-10-17, 11:37 AM

At least we can both agree Goodfellas is better.

Citizen Rules

10-11-17, 12:43 PM

Thirty Day Princess...Never even heard of this movie, but it sound like fun and Sylvia Sydney looks absolutely adorable in that screenshot.Sylvia is a peach! And I don't just mean that she's cute, she's very charming in this film. The film is very charming. Grant is always a charmer and he charms Sylvia. Watch it and you will be charmed:p

Thirty Day Princess...this was one of the Cary Grant movies I was curious about when we discussed Grant in the 40s II HoF. So wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed it. It is now on my watchlist.I've seen twice and could watch it again right now. It's a good one.

I haven't seen it in a while, but I liked Thirty Day Princess. If I remember correctly, the only thing that kind of bugged me a little bit was that I didn't quite understand why the amount of money had to be so high. I seem to recall there was something about that it had to be at least some ridiculously high amount, but it was the person who was paying the money who was insisting that it had to be that high. It was the Depression era and people had no money, so films at the time often revolved around the fantasy that a working stiff, would get lucky and make millions of dollars. You have to put yourself into the mindset of a 1934 Depression era audience.

Gideon58

10-12-17, 06:50 PM

The Departed is better. Mean Streets is better. Goodfellas is better. The Aviator is better. After Hours is better. Taxi Driver is better.

Most of Scorseses films are better.

I would agree with all of these except After Hours...I didn't hate it, but I've never really understood all the love for the movie but it is definitely not better than Raging Bull. Oh, complete disclosure, I've never seen Mean Streets.

Citizen Rules

10-13-17, 09:29 PM

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Deepwater Horizon (2016)

Director: Peter Berg
Writers: Matthew Michael Carnahan & Matthew Sand (screenplay)
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Douglas M. Griffin, John Malkovich
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

'A dramatization of the disaster back in April 2010, when the offshore drilling rig called the Deepwater Horizon created a giant explosion, which created the worst oil spill in American history.'

Remind me to never watch another Peter Berg directed movie!

Damned if this wasn't the exact same structure as Patriots Day: I laughed when once again I seen Mark Wahlberg waking up with the wife in the 'quiet family life before the big event' opening scene. Same happy-dappy family stuff with mindless fluff talk. Filler material.

Then when we finally get to the big oil rig there's more filler...with on the job, derp dialogue, that was spoken so fast and with such fast edits and crappy hand held camera work that I got nothing out of it, other than the oil well wasn't right. The only interesting part was the story of noodling for giant catfish.

Then after 47 minutes into the film we finally get to the action....I thought this is where the film gets good! Ha, the most boring action scenes I've seen, sure the fireballs were big, but true action comes from narrative, not CG...and thanks to the director's ADD style of video game editing, we don't have time to care about the workers on the oil platform.

Then ugh, the director does the same thing in Patriots Day, he ends his film with clips of the real people telling their heart warming stories, talk about manipulating the audience, oh and it's more filler material.

What a crappy, crappy style of film making.

rating_1_5

Joel

10-13-17, 09:37 PM

I could never get through Raging Bull. I wanted to like it, and will probably try again at some point but, yeah..both times I tried to watch it, it bored me to tears and just didn't connect at all. I love Scorsese movies, too. Mean Streets, King of Comedy, Goodfellas and After Hours being some of my faves.

Citizen Rules

10-13-17, 11:13 PM

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The Naked City (1948)
Director: Jules Dassin
Writers: Albert Maltz & Malvin Wald (screenplay)
Cast: Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart, Don Taylor
Genre: Film Noir

The Naked City is a docudrama style film noir - crime drama filmed entirely on location in New York City. The film follows two detectives Barry Fitzgerald and his young assistant played by Don Taylor as they use modern criminal methodology to find the Bathtub Killer who's killed a beautiful young woman.

The Naked City is a film that almost never was, Universal Pictures executives didn't know what to do with this hybrid film and wanted to scrap it, but thanks to the family members of producer Mark Hellinger, they made Universal release this movie, as it was in Hellinger's contract to do so. Mark Hellinger is also the voice of the narration that dominates the first part of the film.

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What's amazing about this Academy Award winning film (Best B&W Cinematography & Best Editing) is that it was shot in only 84 days, and exclusive shot in the streets and buildings of New York City. No studio shots at all. This give us a window back to NYC circa 1948 as we see sights and sounds that are absolutely authentic.

While the voice over narration is kind of odd and gets in the way at times, its also necessary as it was impossible to record sound on many of the street shots, thus a voice over narrator was used to fill in the missing sound blanks. Once we settle into the film the narration is infrequent and the actors take over and deliver up a fine little docudrama noir.

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Especially good to see was Barry Fitzgerald as an experienced Homicide detective on the trail of an elusive murderer. Barry is wise, patient and while he uses his years of experience in police work, he's also teaching his young and green assistant. The film takes a low key approach and shows us the leg work that goes into tracking down 1000s of leads in a criminal case. I found the story interesting and exciting especially the police procedural parts.

The film making style is fresh and very different. A must see for any film noir fan.
rating_3_5+

seanc

10-14-17, 12:10 AM

I think Citizen might be out for a Berg HOF.

gbgoodies

10-14-17, 02:38 AM

Citizen Rules

10-14-17, 09:57 PM

I liked The Naked City, but I thought the narration made it feel more like an old detective TV show rather than a movie. Yeah it does, doesn't...I wonder what old detective TV shows were inspired by The Naked City. Dragnet from what I remember seems like it. Maybe The FBI show also.

edarsenal

10-14-17, 10:36 PM

Naked City IS good and they the win for cinematography is WELL deserved. And yeah, that narration was pretty oddball and does dampen the excellent mood of the movie, sadly.

Citizen Rules

10-14-17, 10:41 PM

Naked City IS good and they the win for cinematography is WELL deserved. And yeah, that narration was pretty oddball and does dampen the excellent mood of the movie, sadly. Yeah, I was glad when the narration stopped. The first 15 minutes or so I kind of odd with that happy go lucky voice telling us about a murder.

edarsenal

10-14-17, 10:51 PM

Yeah, I was glad when the narration stopped. The first 15 minutes or so I kind of odd with that happy go lucky voice telling us about a murder.
I know, it just did not fit. It was like having a heckler on film.

Citizen Rules

10-14-17, 11:02 PM

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The Gunfighter (1950)

Director: Henry King
Writers: William Bowers & William Sellers (screenplay)
Cast: Gregory Peck, Millard Mitchell, Jean Parker, Helen Westcott, Karl Malden
Genre: Western

A gunfighter who has grown weary of his chosen profession, rides into a dusty one horse town, to once again see the girl that he loves. There he finds his old friend has become the town's new sheriff. He also finds that a young hot shot is trying to kill him... just so that the youngster can earn the title of: the man who killed Jimmy Ringo.

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Gregory Peck's favorite movie of all the great films he made was, The Gunfighter. It's easy to see why. The Gunfighter when it came out in 1950 was one of the first westerns to show a more complex character than the typical good guy - bad guy shoot 'em up film. This isn't an action western, it's about a man who in his youth was full of himself and hellbent to be the fastest gun in the west. When we catch up to the older and now wiser Jimmy Ringo, he's become a man full of regrets over the life style he chose.

As soon as he comes into town a crowd gathers outside the bar where he's hold up and they won't let him alone. He's trapped in the bar like a circus sideshow. Little kids point and cheer, the town's ladies protest his very presences.

The film is amazing as it shows this big, bad man.... as being small and alone as he sets in the back corner of the empty bar. He's like a trapped animal with no peace. Even though he's not wanted by the law, his reputation effectively condemns him.

The hopelessness of the main character reminds me of a western-film noir, in that his actions have already sealed his fate with no way to escape them. Gregory Peck is efficient at the sorrowful gun fighter Jimmy Ringo, he brings a sense of burden to the role that works well.

Jimmy Ringo is loosely based on the real Johnny Ringo who survived the shoot out at the OK Coral. Yes that's the same Johnny Ringo as in Tombstone (1993), though here he's a much different character.

The cinematography is by one of Hollywood's greats, Arthur Miller. Miller makes good use of depth and empty spaces to show the utter isolation of Jimmy Ringo.

I thought this was one of the better westerns I've seen.

rating_4+

gbgoodies

10-15-17, 02:50 AM

Yeah it does, doesn't...I wonder what old detective TV shows were inspired by The Naked City. Dragnet from what I remember seems like it. Maybe The FBI show also.

Yeah, the first TV show it made me think of was "The F.B.I." with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

Citizen Rules

10-15-17, 10:09 PM

Yeah, the first TV show it made me think of was "The F.B.I." with Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. Who's in your new avatar? It looks like Peter Lorre, but it's hard to tell, he won't set still:pWhat film is it from?

gbgoodies

10-16-17, 02:13 AM

Who's in your new avatar? It looks like Peter Lorre, but it's hard to tell, he won't set still:p What film is it from?

It's Peter Lorre from Arsenic and Old Lace.

It's from the 1:42 mark in this scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDLvzvFFRu8

Gideon58

10-16-17, 06:06 PM

cricket

10-16-17, 06:53 PM

The Gunfighter was excellent, the first time I saw Peck in a western.

You haven't seen my 3 favorite Coens-Blood Simple, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men.

Citizen Rules

10-16-17, 10:37 PM

The Gunfighter was excellent, the first time I saw Peck in a western.

You haven't seen my 3 favorite Coens-Blood Simple, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men.
Not yet but I will. I figure I might as well watch more of the Coen Bros, filmography. I have Millers Crossing DVD and might watch it tonight.

rauldc14

10-16-17, 10:44 PM

The Gunfighter was excellent, the first time I saw Peck in a western.

You haven't seen my 3 favorite Coens-Blood Simple, Fargo, and No Country for Old Men.

Those are my favorites too but I would add Barton Fink.

Citizen Rules

10-16-17, 11:19 PM

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Macabre (1958)
Director: William Castle
Writers: Robb White (screenplay), Anthony Boucher (novel)
Cast: William Prince, Jim Backus, Christine White
Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Here's the first film William Castle ever directed, Macabre. A mystery thriller with a dash of horror movie that's perfect for Halloween.

It's about a doctor who was having an affair while his wife died in child birth...now the small town hates him and someone has stolen his young daughter and buried her alive in a small coffin, yikes!

The doctor has to find her before the air in the coffin runs out! Only he doesn't know why she's buried at. Sounds kinda of exciting right?

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William Prince and Jacqueline Scott, search a creepy graveyard for the buried child. Love the shadows on the actors.

It's a mystery as the movie sets up all these different people who seem to have a motive to do such a horrible thing. The fun is figuring out who would bury a kid alive. It's called horror but there's no horror really, well a little, but hard core horror fans won't like it. This is differently a thriller-mystery.

I thought it was a good thriller, and a good mystery. I couldn't figure out who did it, maybe you can?

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Jim Backus (Mr Howell on Gilligan's Island) is the town's sheriff who hates the doctor and has a thing for the reckloose blind girl Christine White, who's driving the car.

The actors are actually really good and each seems to have motivations for being suspected of the horrible deed. I like the flash back scenes that tells us of the blind girl, who remined me of a spirited Grace Kelly.

rating_3

edarsenal

10-16-17, 11:49 PM

Citizen Rules

10-17-17, 10:59 PM

haven't heard of Macabre but I do love The Gunfighter. Karl Malden's bartender kept reminding me of the same sort of role he played, as a priest, in The Waterfront.
It's one of my favorite Peck movies, next to 12 O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High, awesome film. I've talked about it before, and seen it 3 times, but I guess I never reviewed it, as I just checked and couldn't find a review by me on it.

If I had to pick my favorite Gregory Peck movie it would be The Bravados (1958) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051433/)

Peck is one of my favorite 1950s actors.

Citizen Rules

10-17-17, 11:24 PM

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Bombers B-52 (1957)

Director: Gordon Douglas
Writers: Irving Wallace (screenplay), Sam Rolfe (story)
Cast: Karl Malden, Efrem Zimbalist Jr, Natalie Wood, Marsha Hunt
Genre: Melodrama

Another film about the Strategic Air Command (SAC) set during the height of the Cold War, in 1957. Karl Malden is a no nonsense Master Sargent in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Castle Air Force Base, California.

All is going well until his new Commanding Officer arrives one day, played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr. It seems the Sargent blames the Lt. Colonel for the death of his men in the Korean war some years earlier. He considers his C.O. to be a hotshot who doesn't care about the men beneath him.

When his C.O. starts dating his daughter (Natalie Wood) he's furious! and decides to resign from the military. This is where the films message comes into play, that the Strategic Air Command and its cold war mission of maintaining a nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union is all important, more important than family or personal interest.

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Unlike other aviation cold war movies Bombers B-52 has little time with the planes and is more like a 1950s melodrama with family and job problems. Though we do see for the first time in any movie the then, state of the art, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber.

I much preferred the more realistic Strategic Air Command (1955) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048667/). This one is more of a Hollywood entertainment type film. It's decent and I enjoyed it, but it's main claim to fame (besides the B-52) would be a young Natalie Wood.

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Karl Malden is good here at being a stubborn non commissioned officer who won't budge from his position and won't listen to his wife and daughter, even though they now what's right and he doesn't.

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I was disappointed in the small amount of time that we actually spend with the star of the film, the B-52. But we do get to see it in flight and even see it being refueled mid-air by an older KC-97...And as a plus there's a couple of choice 1957 Ford cars in the movie, a T-Bird and a convertible.

rating_3

Des

10-20-17, 01:35 AM

Yes, movies can definitely be the realm of the senses, transporting us to different eras and cultures, letting us experience a virtual reality and recognize life such as was, is, and could be.

Citizen Rules

10-20-17, 10:02 PM

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Wendy and Lucy (2008)
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Writers: Kelly Reichardt & Jonathan Raymond (screenplay)
Cast: Michelle Williams, Lucy, David Koppell
Genre: Indie Drama

A young woman drives across country to start a new life in Alaska. She finds herself stuck in a small town in Oregon with no money when her old car breaks down. Her family won't help her and her only friend is her dog Lucy.

Director Kelly Reichardt is quickly becoming one of my favorite indie directors. Hell, she's one of my favorite directors working today, period. She's probably best known for Meek's Cutoff (2010) and Certain Women (2016).

I've seen a number of films directed by Kelly Reichardt and I'm always impressed by how much reflective emotions she manages to show us with her long takes and quiet style of film making. Wendy and Lucy is like that, all the way. It's so expressive and yet understated.

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Filmed in the small town of Wilsonville, Oregon the film has a realistic look to it as the filming is done on the streets and fields of the town. This really adds to the feel that Wendy is a real person and could be someone you would know. That it turn makes her character all the more sympathetic.

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Michelle Williams really impressed me here with her facial expressions that speaks volumes, she actually doesn't say much in the movie. It's all in her reaction to the world around her and for her love of her dog, Lucy. This is a melancholy film at times and I felt more emotions during this film than I would a half dozen other movies. I thought it was pretty special.

rating_4+

seanc

10-20-17, 10:10 PM

Gotta see more Reichardt, I really loved Meek's Cutoff. How did you see this Citizen?

Citizen Rules

10-20-17, 10:35 PM

Gotta see more Reichardt, I really loved Meek's Cutoff. How did you see this Citizen?Yup, I thought Meek's Cutoff was pretty great. I've seen it twice and was thinking I should watch it again. I probably well. When I first watched it, I didn't know who the director was, I watched as it was a western.

I seen Wendy and Lucy on a DVD from my library. I also have Night Moves coming real soon.

Citizen Rules

10-20-17, 11:47 PM

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Miller's Crossing (1990)
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Writers: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Cast: Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, John Turturro
Genre: Period Piece, Crime Thriller

"Tom Regan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties."

I liked it, it kept me on my toes as to what was going to happen...This was NOT like later Coen Bros films. It didn't have any of the Coen's trademark wackiness, yet it still had their film making mastery and style about it.

Miller's Crossing is a straight up, serious, gangster drama with a whole bunch of twists that kept me guessing who was double crossing who, and how they were doing it? It was cleverly written and the plot was hard to follow at times, which is a good thing...as it means the film is intelligent, either that or I just wasn't paying attention.

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I was impressed by how well grounded the actors were in their characters. No over the top caricaturizations here. I believe this is how prohibition mobsters actually behaved and interacted with each other back in the day. It was all more low key and yet the stakes were high.

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Gabriel Byrne especially was low key which was good to see as it made the movie all the more potent. And just for fun there are some good old Tommy Gun machine gun shoot outs, with bullets flying. But basically this is a thinking persons gangster movie. I liked it as such.

rating_3_5

edarsenal

10-21-17, 12:23 AM

been ages since I saw Miller's Crossing, but yeah, it's a little bit of a (very good) surprise to see that this is a Coen film.
Glad to hear you enjoyed, Citizen

Citizen Rules

10-21-17, 01:07 PM

been ages since I saw Miller's Crossing, but yeah, it's a little bit of a (very good) surprise to see that this is a Coen film.
Glad to hear you enjoyed, CitizenI'm trying to catch up on the Coen films I haven't seen.

edarsenal

10-21-17, 01:19 PM

any idea what you'll go after next?

Citizen Rules

10-21-17, 02:29 PM

any idea what you'll go after next?Maybe Fargo or No Country For Old Men. But first I have some 1970s films to watch;)

edarsenal

10-21-17, 06:17 PM

sounds like a helluva double feature! :)

Citizen Rules

10-21-17, 11:29 PM

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The Ladykillers (1955)

Director: Alexander Mackendrick
Writers: William Rose (story), William Rose (screenplay)
Cast: Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Cecil Parker, Katie Johnson, Danny Green
Genre: Crime Caper Comedy

"Five diverse oddball criminal types planning a bank robbery rent rooms on a cul-de-sac from an octogenarian widow under the pretext that they are classical musicians."

This was an easy watch and a fun way to pass a rainy night. I can't say it was anything special, but it was quaint, like a cup of warmed over tea, not exactly fresh or inspired but still soothing enough.

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Left to right: Katie Johnson, Danny Green and Peter Sellers on violin.

By far the best part for me was the Old Lady, and yes she was called just that in the movie. She was also called Mrs. Wilberforce, which is kind of a funny name for a charmingly festive and well mannered character. The Old Lady was played by Katie Johnson and she's a gem.

I didn't really warm up to the other actors the five robbers, aka Lady Killers. I thought Alec Guinness would be a stand out but he wasn't really. The fake overbite teeth didn't help me to warm up to his character either. I thought Peter Sellers too would be a laugh riot, but he didn't really get many lines, I guess this was early on in his career.

The best character was the big goofy guy named One-Round (Danny Green). He was funny, but the best part was when all the other little old ladies came to tea which put a monkey wrench into the would-be robbers plans.

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Nothing real original here, and this is a PG type movie and despite it's name, no ladies were killed...Just a nice jaunt for an easy watch.

rating_3

Camo

10-21-17, 11:40 PM

Citizen Rules

10-21-17, 11:45 PM

Completely agreed on The Ladykillers. It's not amazing but it's such a nice, goofy film. And yeah the old woman is fantastic. The Coen Bros remake is awful, their worst film IMO. Like Miller's Crossing about the same amount as you too.I liked the way they dumped the bodies into the train, ha that was a good running gag.

BTW, on your recommendation I have Night Moves, to watch. I figure I might as well get a head start at the Women Directors Countdown. At least I hope we do that one.

Catch ya later, I'm off for pizza and a movie:)

Camo

10-21-17, 11:47 PM

BTW, on your recommendation I have Night Moves, to watch. I figure I might as well get a head start at the Women Directors Countdown. At least I hope we do that one.

Hope you like it. It's very slow and dark and the characters are easy to hate so i'd get it if you don't. I just adore the atmosphere though like all of the films of hers i've seen. Night Moves is still my favourite.

Ms. M

10-22-17, 05:27 AM

Completely agreed on The Ladykillers. It's not amazing but it's such a nice, goofy film. And yeah the old woman is fantastic. The Coen Bros remake is awful, their worst film IMO.
I enjoyed Coen's remake also. Both movies was entertaining.

Joel

10-22-17, 01:17 PM

I enjoyed Coen's remake also. Both movies was entertaining.

I like the Coen's version a lot. It always gets hate. Seems typical. It's a good movie, you're not wrong for enjoying it! :p

Ms. M

10-22-17, 04:27 PM

I like the Coen's version a lot. It always gets hate. Seems typical. It's a good movie, you're not wrong for enjoying it! :p
The first movie I saw was a Coen version. Tom Hanks was super. And this encoureged me to watch old movie.

Joel

10-22-17, 04:30 PM

The first movie I saw was a Coen version. Tom Hanks was super. And this encoureged me to watch old movie.

I love Hanks' laugh in that movie. Sounds like the nervous kid in class that always raises his hand the highest...

Ms. M

10-22-17, 04:32 PM

I love Hanks' laugh in that movie. Sounds like the nervous kid in class that always raises his hand the highest...
Great characterization:yup:

edarsenal

10-22-17, 04:53 PM

For some reason I thought you had already seen/reviewed the original Ladykillers. Fun movie, that. Not great, but definitely fun. Loved the comment about "warmed over tea,"

Don't mind the Coen remake. Don't love it, but don't hate it either.

Citizen Rules

10-23-17, 12:11 AM

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A Gathering of Eagles (1963)

Director: Delbert Mann
Writers: Robert Pirosh (screenplay), Sy Bartlett (story)
Cast: Rock Hudson, Rod Taylor, Mary Peach
Genre: Military Drama

Synopsis (spoiler free) In 1963 during the height of the cold war, Colonel Jim Caldwell (Rock Hudson) takes on a tough assignment to become the wing commander at Carmody Air Force Base in California. This fictional base is a SAC Strategic Air Command base with B-52s caring a nuclear deterrent. Rock Hudson must get tough as nails and shape the men up in order to pass a nuclear war readiness test, that the previous commander had failed. His job and the security of America hangs in the balance. In his zeal he will break men, ruin families and risk loosing his own wife, all in the name of nuclear readiness. CR

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Review: Rock is ready to rock! I like this one, it was very technical and went into great depth to explain to the audience how the codes for going to nuclear war would be handled. We get each step and each step has a 'fail safe' built into it.

At first I though Rock Hudson seemed a lackluster as a Col, in charge of a nuclear B-52 squad, called a 'wing'. But that was by design as we see the mellow, easy going Rock become something of a tyrant as he weeds out men who aren't giving a 100%. It was really a good drama. His friend who also might be giving less than his best was played by Rod Taylor...and he's likable and he's suppose to be...Rock tells him he spends to much time making the lower ranks like him and not enough time making the hard decisions. And that's what this movies is all about, the tough decisions that the men in charge of SAC have to make.

The Col.'s wife was played by a British actress who I never seen before, Mary Peach. Kevin McCarthy from the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers is also on board.

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Dig that early 1960's post-modern kitchen, I swear the same kitchen was used in TV's Brady Bunch.

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One of the stars of the film is the B-52 which sports 8 jet engines tucked under it's massive wings. That's a KC-137 refueling the plane, only in the movie something goes terrible wrong only seconds after this scene. Well you'll just have to watch it to find out what happens.

rating_3_5

Citizen Rules

10-23-17, 02:04 PM

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The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)

Director: Otto Preminger
Writers: Milton Sperling & Emmet Lavery (screenplay)
Cast: Gary Cooper, Charles Bickford, Ralph Bellamy, Rod Steiger
Genre: Fictionalized Biography, Drama, War

For an Otto Preminger film that stars Gary Cooper, this was pretty darn milquetoast. Uninspired and insipid. It's based on a true story about the 'father' of the U.S. Air Force, Billy Mitchell. He faced a court martial by the Army for blasting them in the newspapers over their lack of safety for pilots and for the lack of readiness. This was back in the mid 1920s. Though the film doesn't have any sort of period piece feeling about it. The last half of the film is the trial which is held in an old building.

Now, I like Preminger, he directed Laura (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037008/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_36) (1944) Whirlpool (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042039/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_28) & Where the Sidewalk Ends (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043132/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_27) (1950) among many other fine films. Later in 1959 he would do another court room drama and get it right with Anatomy of a Murder (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052561/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_13) (1959)...But this movie didn't have anything to compelling. Gary Cooper who I also like, seemed ill at ease and uninspired in his role.

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Gary Cooper shares a scene with a young Elizabeth Montgomery, this is her first movie. Later she would go onto fame as TV's Samantha Stephens in Bewitched.

Veteran character actors, Charles Bickford, Ralph Bellamy play very familiar roles here, and they're good at it. Bicfkord is crusty and stern, like usual...Bellamy is rock steady and calm, like usual.

But there's one saving grace, a fiery, soul stirring performance by Rod Steiger as the prosecuting attorney. He was electrifying when he was speaking. To bad he didn't have more screen time.

Overall a bit of a disappointment and yet I'm still glad I watched it.

rating_2_5

Citizen Rules

10-23-17, 11:11 PM

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Kiss and Make-Up (1934)

Director: Harlan Thompson
Cast: Cary Grant, Helen Mack, Genevieve Tobin, Edward Everette Horton
Genre: Comedy Romance

Synopsis (spoiler free): Dr. Maurice Lamar (Cary Grant) is a well to do plastic-surgeon with a salon in Paris. His specialty is making his rich female clients beautiful. He's a bit of a rogue and puts the moves on Eve Caron (Genevieve Tobin), the wife of Marcel Caron (Edward Everette Horton), eventually the two run off to the Mediterranean (actually the beach in southern California). Meanwhile his secretary has a secret crush on him (Helen Mack) and hopes the playboy doctor will play it straight.

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I didn't know they did cosmetic surgery in 1934! But in this film they talk about reshaping the hips and giving out nose jobs in Cary Grant's stylish Paris salon.

Kiss and Make-Up a fun but rather un Cary Grant like film as he's a bit of a rogue, more so than usual. An interesting side note is the WAMPAS Baby Stars of 1934 all have small roles in the film. Another bit of trivia is this is one time Cary Grant sings in a movie to a fully-orchestrated musical number, 'Love Divided By Two'. He's pretty good too, but this is not a musical, he just sings a number.

Cary is good in this of course, but it's Edward Everette Horton that steals the show.

rating_3+

Gideon58

10-24-17, 05:10 PM

Gideon58

10-24-17, 05:18 PM

Citizen Rules

10-24-17, 05:50 PM

Haven't seen a lot of Gary Cooper's work, but have always wanted to see this because Elizabeth Montgomery is in it. Enjoyed your review and I am going to try to get around to watching it someday. Elizabeth Montgomery was pretty blasé in this. She only has a few moments on screen, but she does do one pretty darn cool thing when she kisses her husband. You have to watch it and see if you notice it? Rod Steiger will give you goose bumps with his cut throat prosecuting attorney role!

Saw the remake with Tom Hanks a long time ago but have never seen the original...I might have to check it out.I didn't know Tom Hanks was in the remake, I'll have to watch that just to see him.

Gideon58

10-24-17, 06:00 PM

Elizabeth Montgomery was pretty blasé in this. She only has a few moments on screen, but she does do one pretty darn cool thing when she kisses her husband. You have to watch it and see if you notice it? Rod Steiger will give you goose bumps with his cut throat prosecuting attorney role!

I didn't know Tom Hanks was in the remake, I'll have to watch that just to see him.

I was aware that Elizabeth's role in Billy Mitchell was small but I still wanted to see it and Rod Steiger is almost always worth watching.

Citizen Rules

10-24-17, 06:05 PM

Rod Steiger really impressed me.

edarsenal

10-26-17, 01:01 AM

Kiss and Make Up sounds pretty wonderful and I always love Horton since I was a kid and he did the Narration for the Aesop Tales in Bullwinkle and Rocky

Citizen Rules

10-26-17, 11:04 PM

Kiss and Make Up sounds pretty wonderful and I always love Horton since I was a kid and he did the Narration for the Aesop Tales in Bullwinkle and RockyI think it might be right up your alley, based on the films you've nominated in Hofs. It's only an 1hour 18 minutes long, so it's an easy watch. Maybe you'll check it out?

edarsenal

10-26-17, 11:11 PM

I do believe I will

Citizen Rules

10-26-17, 11:25 PM

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The Spiral Staircase (1946)

Director: Robert Siodmak
Writers: Mel Dinelli (screenplay), Ethel Lina White (novel)
Cast: Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, Kent Smith, Rhonda Fleming, Elsa Lanchester
Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Synopsis (spoiler free): In 1916 among the wealthy New Englanders, a serial killer is loose. His targets are women with 'afflictions' and his latest target is Helen (Dorothy McGuire) who has lost the ability to speak after a tragic childhood incident. Helen has come to work in an old Victorian mansion populated with suspects.

Review: I loved the atmosphere and the house they filmed in looked very real to me. If it was a set it was a phenomenal set with great three dimensional realism. The house is decked out in amazing detail with old antiques and creepy looking paintings and stuffed animals. According to what I read this was shot in Detroit, Michigan, which is very unusual for a Hollywood film of the time. So I believe that house is real! And it alone is worth watching the film for.

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Dorthy McGuire scarcely says a word because she's a mute. She's not deaf, but has lost her ability to speak from shock. She's perfect as the hapless character who is being stalked.

George Brent, Kent Smith and Rhonda Fleming were all pretty good. But the real stand outs were Elsa Lanchester and the great Ethel Barrymore. Both of them lift this movie into a higher realm whenever they're on the screen. The problem is the story itself wasn't that engaging and it mainly works by watching to see who done it?

rating_3_5

edarsenal

10-28-17, 05:15 PM

Citizen Rules

10-28-17, 10:38 PM

I watched this when it appeared in the countdown. Good movie and a fun lil "Who dunit?" and completely agree about Barrymore and Lanchester - when she pilfers the bottle of wine and the face she makes and then hides is priceless.

I wonder, where exactly, in Detroit, it was filmed? That's a rather cool tidbit. I tried looking that up but I couldn't find anything about where in Detroit The Spiral Staircase was filmed.

I read that it was remade twice since 1946...
It was remade as a feature film in 1975 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spiral_Staircase_%281975_film%29) with Jacqueline Bisset, and again as a TV movie in 2000 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spiral_Staircase_%282000_film%29) with Nicollette Sheridan.

edarsenal

10-28-17, 10:54 PM

I tried too, no luck.
Did find a cool lil crime flick that's filmed in Detroit in the early 70s called Detroit 9000 though

Citizen Rules

10-28-17, 10:58 PM

Detroit 9000, that sounds pretty cool. I've never seen it, never even heard of it. I wonder if cricket has?

Citizen Rules

10-29-17, 02:03 PM

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Ride the Wild Surf (1964)

Director: Don Taylor
Writers: Jo & Art Napoleon
Cast: Fabian, Shelley Fabares, Peter Brown, Barbara Eden, Tab Hunter, Susan Hart
Genre: Surf movie

Ride the Wild Surf...is a cut above the typical surf movie of the 1960s. This one is much more serious and shows the growing popularity of surfing in Hawaii as a spectator sport....Oh sure there's still plenty of pretty girls in bikinis and quickie beach romances.

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The girl in the photo center, is Donna Reed's TV daughter, Shelley Fabares. She was one of the luck child actors who transitioned from playing a kid on TV to playing a young adult in the movies. She's likeable, at least Fabian thinks so in the movie. If that's not enough there's also a red headed beauty, Barbara Eden, who played Jeannie on TV and with blond hair. There's also a dark haired beauty a Hawaiian born girl Susan Hart who does the most seductive Hula dance you'll ever see on film!

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And of course there has to be some surfer dudes, in fact there's a lot of them as the premise in the film is a competition on the big waves at Waimea, Hawaii...those portions are filled by Fabian, Tab Hunter and Peter Brown, and all are quite good. For added bonus, the current surf champ is played by Robert Mitchum's son, James Mitchum. Boy, does he look like his father or what!

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What I really liked about this movie was, it was minimal on the silly camp, and focused much more on the actual surfing competition. There's lots of awesome scenes of surfers on the big Pipeline waves at Hawaii. Those scenes were shot by Jo & Art Napoleon who captured surfers on these freak giant waves that were a rare occurrence due to weather conditions. Later they wrote the movie around the footage they had shot. And it's that footage of actual surfers on monstrous waves that makes the film stand out from other surf movies.

Ride the Wild Surf is like a fun time machine back the carefree days of surf and sand, 1964.

rating_3+

Citizen Rules

10-29-17, 11:29 PM

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The Night Walker (1964)

Director: William Castle
Writer: Robert Bloch (screenplay)
Cast: Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Judi Meredith
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

"A woman is haunted by recurring nightmares, which seem to be instigated by her late husband who supposedly was killed in a fire."

The Night Walker, cool name for a lame movie. Nothing more than a poorly made clone of a Twilight Zone episode. Only instead of Rod Sterling we get a guy in a rubber mask.

I've seen most of William Castle films and they usually have a decent plot albeit somewhat simply for a youth audience...and his films have high production values. This one looked cheap, was cheap. I guess he spent his money on the actors. And he does have two big name stars Barbara Stanwyck in her last theatrical movie role. I wonder if the poor results of the film made her decide to switch to TV instead? The other brand name actor is Robert Taylor who was big in the 1940s.

The first 5 minutes, or was it 10? starts off with a Twilight Zone monologue about dreams and monsters, and we get some wacky images similar to the start of the old Twilight Zone TV show.

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Most of the movie involes one of three cheap sets and a bunch of double talk and jump scares with hands coming out of the smoke.

So far this is the worst William Castle film I've seen.
1.5